Behind Closed Doors
by Lady Piwah
Summary: PrueAndy fic AU. The sisters are not witches. Prue is engaged to Roger and living with him. Andy is recently divorced when he bumps into Phoebe at the hospital.....
1. Chance Meeting

The call had come in just over an hour ago – again.  Phoebe was starting to suspect that Prue had broken a mirror recently the amount of bad luck she was suffering.  A mugging they said.  Poor Prue – what with trying to organise a wedding, working overtime at the museum and trying to help her sister Piper open a club, this was the last thing she needed.

As Phoebe made her way to the Nurses Station to enquire after Prue, she noticed a familiar figure. Sure she hadn't seen him since he and Prue and split before going to college but she had known him for so long she would recognise him anywhere.

As she approached him, he turned from the desk to face her.  "Hi Andy right?"  Andy looked at her closely as if he knew the face but could not think of a name. "Uh yeah, that's right.  I'm sorry, I recognise your face but…"  "Oh yeah sorry, I guess I have grown up a lot since I last saw you.  Phoebe.  Phoebe Halliwell." 

"Oh my gosh so it is.  Wow you have changed Phoebe.  How are you?"  He said as he reached down to give her a hug.

"I'm fine thanks Andy.  What are you doing here?  Nothing wrong I hope?"

"No nothing, I'm actually a police officer – following up a report of a crime.  What about you?  Everyone ok?"  Andy asked.

"Actually I am here to pick up Prue.  I had a phone call about an hour ago to say she had been brought in.  Apparently she was mugged not far from work and had to be brought in for some treatment.  They said she was ok but would need someone to take her home.  Apparently Roger is unreachable so they rang the manor."

"Oh well how about I come with you to see Prue.  I would love to see her again and I can also take a statement about the mugging." 

"Sure ok, that would be great thanks.  Hopefully with you on the case this guy will actually get caught.  This has happened a few times recently and the police don't seem to have gotten anywhere.  Prue hasn't been very lucky lately."

" No problem.  When I get back to the station I can chase up any open cases if you like.  Do you know any details of these incidents?"

As they made their way towards Prue's room after asking a nurse the way, Phoebe filled Andy in on all the incidents that had befallen her sister in recent months.  As Andy listened carefully a feeling of unease came over him.  He couldn't explain what it meant but he knew that something about what Phoebe was telling him didn't ring true.  With suspicions raised, Andy asked "So where is Roger?  He must be her husband right?"

"Close" she replied.  "They will be in a few months but at the moment they are simply engaged, living together and of course working together.  I guess he is busy with an auction or something since the hospital couldn't contact him" she said.  "What about you Andy?  Married, engaged, kids?"

Andy looked down at his feet as he said, "I was married but that ended a few months ago.  My wife couldn't cope with being second best.  But that's another story for another time.  Come on, let's go on in.  I am looking forward to seeing Prue again after all the years."


	2. Surprise Prue!

Ok, So this is my first fic ever. The idea has been swimming around in my head for ages and I finally got round to writing it down. Please, please, please send feedback, whether good or bad as I don't know whether to continue posting or not.

Thanks

Chapter 2

Prue was waiting in the hospital room anxious to be released. The nurses had told her that they had been unable to contact Roger on any of the numbers she had given them and that they had eventually managed to get hold of one her sisters at the Manor. Prue guessed that at this time of day it would probably be Phoebe as Piper would be at the club.

As she waited she was trying to get things straight in her head. She knew that the nurses had told her sister she had been mugged and Prue needed to be sure of what she was going to say so that her story was believable. She needed to make sure that her sisters did not suspect anything. As long as she could keep this secret everything would be ok. Or so she thought.

Bringing her from her reverie, the door opened and in walked her sister…and a man. As she looked at him more closely she suddenly realised she knew him. She hadn't seen him in nearly a decade but he hadn't really changed. Immediately she wondered what on earth was he doing with Phoebe.

"Hey sis, how are you feeling? Are you ok? What happened this time? The nurse mentioned something about a mugging. I swear no-one has more bad luck than you do!" Phoebe rushed out all in one go, relieved to see her sister in one piece.

"Hey Prue, how are you? I bumped into Phoebe outside and she mentioned that you've been in the wars so I thought I would pop along to say hi!" said Andy, a little distracted by the beautiful woman sat in front of him. Sure she had a black eye and some bruising around her throat, not to mention her wrist in bandages, but she still looked as young and beautiful as she did in high school when they dated.

"Oh thanks Andy, that's really sweet but as you can see I am fine, nothing to worry about."

"Well I also have an ulterior motive if I'm being honest. Two in fact. First of all I wanted to see you again. It's been years and I always regretted losing touch with you. We were high school sweethearts after all." Andy said, drinking in the sight of her, but also watching for signs of what was going on.

"Oh sorry I didn't mean to sound rude", said Prue. "What was the second?"

"Well Phoebe mentioned that you'd been mugged so as I'm a cop I thought I would save you the trouble of going down to the station to report it and I would take all the details and your statement here. Would that be ok?"

"Uh, well, you know, I wasn't actually going to bother reporting it. After all it was only a purse and I have insurance for all my credit cards and stuff so it is no big deal honestly."

Before Andy could reply, Phoebe jumped in, "Come on Prue, I know the police have yet to come up with anything on any of the other crimes you have reported but that doesn't mean you should stop reporting them. With everything that has happened and how these things keep happening to you, there could be some sort of connection don't you think? It's only just occurred to me but this is one hell of a coincidence if there is no connection. I mean think about it, nobody could possibly have this much bad luck could they. Andy could be able to help, and you know you can trust him to do everything he can to help."

Realising that she wasn't going to be able to get out of this Prue reluctantly agreed. She told Andy the same thing she had told the nurse – she had been in the car park when someone grabbed her from behind. He held her by the throat initially demanding she hand over her purse. Once she did he hit her across the face causing her to stumble to the ground putting out her arm to cushion her fall.

Andy wrote all the details down as she recalled them but again, he was picking up that something was not right with her story. The tone of her voice was somehow strange when detailing what had happened and the details didn't ring true. For now though, he wasn't going to say anything. He would do some digging when he got back to the station.

As Prue finished her story she silently prayed that Andy would believe her and that would be an end to it. The last thing she needed was Andy snooping around. He always could get anything out of her and she did not want to test if that was still the case.

After asking a few simple questions, Andy took a contact number for both Phoebe and Prue and left. He promised he would be in touch as soon as he had any news.

After Andy had left, Phoebe helped Prue get everything together and they made their way out to Phoebe's car, picking up Prue's pain medication on the way. After some discussion, they were on the way back to the Manor where Prue would wait with her sister until Roger picked up his messages and came over to get her.

Prue knew from experience that that would not be until tomorrow morning. After one of his "episodes" Roger would spend the next 12 hours or so drinking himself into oblivion, first in a bar, and then in a cheap motel room. It was his way of punishing Prue for pushing him too far and himself for hurting her the way he did. When he arrived in the morning he would full of apologies for having missed the call, for not being there and ultimately for having inflicted his rage on her. Of course her sisters would not know that that was what he was really apologising for. They never did because Prue never told them.

Ever since their mother had died, Prue had had to be the strong sister, helping raise both Phoebe and Piper. That meant protecting them at all costs. Prue knew for that reason she would never tell them. And also for another. Deep down, Prue believed her sisters would think she were a failure for allowing Roger to do this to her. For not being strong enough to leave. After all that was what she thought herself. And that was something she could not bear for her sisters to think of her. So she continued on in silence, allowing her sisters to believe she was simply on a run of bad luck and that everything else in her life was perfect.

Once Prue was settled in her old room at the manor and Phoebe was busy making tea for the both of them, Prue decided to check her voicemail just in case Roger had called. It didn't happen very often but Prue had taken to checking just in case. It would only mean more trouble for her if she didn't. As she waited for her voice mail to pick up Prue felt her heart begin to race. A part of her was dreading hearing a message from Roger because he had been so angry this time. However, another part of her was hoping that he had left a message because then she would at least know he was ok. Despite everything Prue truly believed she loved Roger and she worried about him after something like this. Roger could get so terribly upset and she always felt so guilty because she knew it was her fault. After checking her voice mail and listening to a few work messages she realised that there had been no call from Roger. Just as she hung up the phone, Phoebe came in with a tray of tea for the both of them and they settled down to drink, talk, and wait for either Piper or Roger to show up.


	3. The Morning After

Auhtor's Note.

A big thank you to Onion400, Hanna415. Anna() and Prujo() for their reviews. You convinced me to write and post more. So here are chapters 3 and 4, and chapter 5 is well on it's way. Thanks again.

Chapter 3 

Prue woke to the sound of the doorbell ringing downstairs in the Manor. After Piper had got home the night before, the three sisters and sat up and talked for a few hours simply enjoying being all together in their childhood home again. Prue had enjoyed herself for the first time in over a year and had found herself able to forget what had happened that day. However, now she knew that that would be Roger at the door and that she would have to leave the comfort of her sisters and return with her fiancé to the home they shared together.

Hearing footsteps on the stairs and the doorbell ringing again, Prue knew it was time for her to get up. The throbbing in her head increased as she stood up and her arm was aching. Reaching to her bedside table, she quickly dry swallowed 2 of the painkillers the hospital had prescribed and began to get dressed as she heard her sisters talking to Roger in the foyer downstairs. When she felt she looked as best she could considering her injuries, she slowly descended the stairs, her heart beating faster the closer she got to the living room. As she stepped into view, Roger suddenly stopped talking and stood, moving swiftly to her side.

"Darling, I am so sorry I was not available when this happened. The auction in LA took longer than expected and I ran out of battery on my phone. I tried ringing you last night at the house but when I got no answer I assumed you had gone out with some friends or your sisters. How are you feeling sweetheart?"

Hesitantly, Prue pasted a small smile on her face before saying, "That's ok Roger really. It was nothing honestly. The Doctors were simply being cautious in case of a concussion but I am fine. Phoebe and Piper have been great and I wouldn't have wanted you to cut your trip short for something so minor." As Prue finished she looked closely at his face to see if her words had been the correct ones. When she saw him smile at her again, she knew she had said the right thing and breathed a very gentle sigh of relief.

Turning to her sisters, she thanked them for looking after her, and for taking her mind of her injuries the night before. After hugs and thanks all round, Prue and Roger were making their way to the door when the bell rang. Walking past them to answer it, Piper was surprised to find Andy at the door. She had been told all about the meeting at the hospital yesterday so she knew why he must be there. After a quick greeting on the doorstep, Piper invited Andy in. As he walked through the door and in the direction of the living room as motioned by Piper, Andy cast his eyes about the manor.

He had spent many a happy time in this house with Prue during the 4 years that they dated. Piper and Phoebe had become like sisters to him and this place had been a second home. Back in those days, Prue and he had been so in love and he had been devastated when they split before going off to college. Although they had both agreed it would be best because of the distance between their colleges, Andy had still been upset when they had finally said goodbye. He would never forget that day as long as he lived. He knew then he would always be in love with Prue and he knew he would never fully get over her. And here he was today, standing in the Manor knowing he was as in love with her today as he had been back then.

As he turned to look at her, he felt his heart break at the sight of her standing there, wrapped in the arms of another man, the bruises around her face and neck more pronounced than the day before. He silently studied the man by her side. Roger was not at all what Andy had been expecting. He didn't seem to be Prue's type at all. But then, Andy conceded, he had not known her for many years and she had obviously changed because according to Phoebe, this was the man Prue had agreed to marry. 'This should be interesting' he thought to himself as he walked further into the living room, steeling himself to meet the man beside Prue.


	4. First Impressions, Old Haunts

Chapter 4 

"Hey Andy, that was quick, did you find something out?" said Phoebe as Andy walked into the room.  "Hey Phoebe, how are you?  I have found a few things but I just needed to ask Prue a couple of questions about some of the previous reports.  Would that be ok Prue?"

"Uh is it really necessary right now?  Roger was just about to take me home."  "Now honey, if the police office needs a few more details to catch the scum who did this to you, it's the least we could do.  Hi, I'm Roger Davenport, Prue's fiancé.  Thank you for looking into these reports for us, the police haven't had much luck so far", Roger said with a sickly smile on his face.  Andy looked at him closely and didn't like what he saw.  Something just didn't feel right about this, the way his arm tightened about Prue's shoulder, the sickly sweet smile pasted on his face, which Andy could tell, was fake.  His instincts kicked in, and put together with the information he had found, a conclusion popped into his head, which was both horrifying, and unbelievable.  Surely Prue would never allow herself to be abused by a boyfriend.  Certainly not the Prue he had known so many years before.  But that was what it looked like to him on the face of things. 

"Oh I'm sorry, how rude of me, Roger, this is Inspector Andy Trudeau from SF PD" Prue said quickly.  She could tell by Roger's tone that he was not impressed with this latest development.  The only time a police officer had actually investigated one of these instances was when Phoebe and Piper had insisted whilst she was in the hospital and Roger was uncontactable.  Prue knew that Phoebe had given him all the information about the other times and no doubt he was now here to ask her what the hell was going on and why he couldn't find any reports.

Prue was desperate.  She couldn't have Andy asking those questions in front of her sisters and certainly not in front of Roger.  After all he was a much better actor than she was, otherwise her sisters would have seen through him by now.  The way Andy was looking at Roger unsettled her as well.  She could tell from the look on his face that he knew more than she wanted anyone too.  Thinking quickly, Prue decided the only way to get out of this situation and fast was to pretend to be faint and unable to deal with this ordeal now.

As Roger removed his arm from around her shoulders to shake Andy's hand, Prue placed her hand to her forehead, closed her eyes, and promptly fell to the ground.  As she was falling, Piper and Phoebe gasped at the same time.  Roger and Andy both turned to look, and as Roger stood stock still, Andy reacted quickly to catch her before she hit the ground hard. 

Andy gently lowered to the floor, and placed her head in his lap.  Phoebe and Piper immediately raced to Prue's side whilst Roger looked from Prue to Andy and back again.  As Roger made his way towards his fallen fiancée a thought occurred to him.  Hadn't he heard the sisters talking about a boy they grew up with called Andy?  And hadn't he heard something about a relationship between this guy and Prue?  As soon as he got her home, he would find out everything from his darling fiancée…………everything!

As Prue 'came round' she found herself looking into a pair of blue eyes she had forgotten, a pair of eyes she could so easily get lost in once upon a time.  As she began to drown in those endless depths, she heard Roger call her name, jerked her eyes away from Andy's, and looked towards her fiancé.  She could tell by the look on his face that he was not impressed with her stunt and even less impressed that she was still in Andy's arms on the floor.  A small part of her thought so what?  At least someone caught me even if you couldn't be bothered to.  But then another, louder part of her kicked in, telling her not to be so disrespectful of the man who loved her, the man who gave her everything, and the man she gave so little to in return.

As Prue struggled to her feet, Roger held out his hand and helped her up, pulling her towards him and away from Andy.  "I'm sorry Inspector, but I don't think she will be up to those questions after all.  She has obviously been more affected by this that we first thought.  Come on darling, let me take you home, and get you settled in our nice big bed" he said to Prue.  "Maybe some other time when Prue is feeling better" he said and as he led Prue from the room.  Saying a quick goodbye and thank you to her sisters and Andy, Prue obediently followed Roger and left the manor, unsure of what would happen to her once she got home.


	5. Haunted By Mistakes

Chapter 5 

Andy threw his keys onto the hallway table as he entered his apartment and made a beeline for the fridge and a nice cold beer. He needed this. He had needed it ever since leaving the Halliwell Manor earlier that day. The events of that morning weighed heavily on his mind, not least of all what was happening to Prue. He knew something was going on, and he had a damned good idea of what it was but he had no idea what he could do about it.

As he lay down on his bed, taking another deep drink from the beer bottle, his mind focused on Prue. She was still the most beautiful women he had ever met. When they had been together in High School, there were times when he knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. There were also times when she made him incredibly frustrated. She had such a devotion to her sisters after their mother died that she put them before all else. At the time he was a teenage boy with raging hormones and he didn't understand why she did that.

Now as a grown man who had been through a marriage and a divorce, he could completely understand it. They were so young when her mother had died that even though they were friends in those days, Andy couldn't remember her at all. Although the girls had their Grandmother, Prue really looked after Piper and Phoebe, _especially_ her baby sister. Prue had tried to explain it to him once, but he didn't want to listen to it at the time. She had tried to tell him that a part of her felt guilty for knowing their mother for as long as she did when Piper barely remembered a thing and Phoebe remembered nothing. Looking back on it now, he guessed there was probably more that she was trying to tell him but Andy was only interested in getting some action from Prue back then, like most boys his age.

They had ended up in a massive argument and not spoken for weeks. They were the hardest weeks of his life as he came to realise just how much she truly meant to him. But looking back on it now, that had probably sewn the seeds for their break-up. Things had never been the same after that and a few months later, when receiving their college acceptance letters, they had agreed that continuing their relationship whilst she was in college in San Francisco and he in New York would be too hard. So when Andy left for New York early that summer, they had said goodbye. There were no big tearful scenes, or even undying protestations of love. They had simply said goodbye and parted.

That's not to say that Andy wasn't upset or even that he wanted to say goodbye. Deep down he actually felt his heartbreak but too many things had been said, too much time had passed to apologise for the events of that day and he felt there was nothing he could do. He held onto a slim hope in his heart that one day, when some time had passed and distance was no longer an issue that maybe they could try again. As adults. More mature. More able to deal with the issues between them and the issues that Prue had been dealing with for most of her life.

He briefly wondered if she had ever dealt with any of those issues now. She had moved out of the Manor and left her sisters to fend for themselves so that had to mean something. Sure they were in their mid-20's and could more than manage on their own, but it would have involved Prue actually letting go. Maybe Roger had changed her. Maybe Roger had helped her deal with her issues. But was that before or after he had started taken out his anger on her.

Looking back now, Andy knew he had never gotten over her. That she had been and still was the love of his life. He had been trying to pretend for so long that he had moved on, gotten over her. But the truth was, through everything, college, dating, even marriage; she had always been there. In his heart. In his head. He would find himself comparing every woman he met to her. And not one of them came close until he met Susan. They had met when he had first joined the police department. She was a secretary in the station and at first glance, she reminded him of Prue. Things had started slowly. A few dates here and there, worked around his difficult beginners shifts. After a year, things had progressed and after a particularly drunken night out, he awoke to find Susan happily calling all her friends and family to announce they were getting married.

Things had kind of snowballed after that and just 3 months later, Andy found himself standing at the altar about to marry a woman he was very fond of, but didn't really love. Not deep down, not really. But he learned to push aside his feelings and bury himself in his work. Susan was so happy and caught up in the wedding that he didn't have the heart to ruin her dreams simply because he couldn't forget about his first girlfriend. In the months and years that followed, Andy worked as may as hours as he could, working hard for promotion. They stopped going out as a couple and eventually stopped making love to. At night when he did sleep he would dream of Prue.

Not long after the dreams began, things started to deteriorate rapidly. Now he knew that he had been calling out Prue's name in his sleep, but at the time he didn't really think about it. Of course, Susan thought he was having an affair and decided to confront him about it when he got home late one night. He had had a particularly rough day working on a case involving a murderer and rapist. As soon as he walked in through the door she began. Where had he been? Who had he been with? Who was Prue? Hearing her name spoken was by his wife was like dangling a red cloth in front of a bull. Before he knew what was happening he was shouting back at her.

Thinking about it now, Andy was filled with shame. He had ranted about how much he loved Prue, would always love her and that she, his wife, Susan, could never take her place in his heart. As he lay on his bed, finishing the last of his second bottle of beer, he felt so guilty for letting his wife know that she would always be second best as far as he was concerned and that there was nothing she could ever do that would change that. Not long after that she had presented him with divorce papers citing irreconcilable differences.

Now, after some time had passed they had actually managed to have a civilised, even friendly, conversation. She told him how at first she had thought maybe he was just ranting, trying to hurt her. But when she had replayed his outburst in her head over and over again, she had realised he was serious. The way he had said Prue's name with such love and reverence told her that every word he said came from the heart and that he had never truly belonged to her. They had talked about Prue, about their marriage and Andy had confessed that he did not remember proposing. At the end of their meeting they had parted on cordial terms. Andy had apologised for any pain he had caused her and she had apologised for pushing him into marriage.

As Andy slowly drifted of to sleep, he allowed himself to put the ghosts of his marriage behind him, and resolved to find out what was happening to Prue, and to do everything he could to help her, whether it simply meant letting her go again, or maybe finding something that was lost. Regardless of the outcome between the two of them, he could not bare to think of her going through physical abuse at the hands of her fiancé.


	6. Pain and Torment

**Thank you so much to everyone who has sent reviews. It really means a lot to me. Sorry for the huge delay in updating but I haven't been around for a few weeks so this is the quickest I could get to writing and updating. Not sure if I like this chapter or not but do let me know what you think.**

**Cheers**

Chapter 6

The silence was deafening. Since the front door to the Manor House had closed behind them Roger had not uttered a word. He hadn't helped her into the car in any way, and had not offered to carry her bag from the house to the car. As they made their way through the traffic on their way home, Prue knew what was coming. The tension was building and she could feel Roger simmering away next to her in the drivers seat, his anger barely held in check, waiting to explode as soon as their front door closed behind them. Prue knew she could only wait and accept whatever was coming. To say or do anything now would only make things worse for her later, that she was sure of.

As Roger turned the car into the driveway and brought the car to a stop, he steeled himself. What he had witnessed at the Manor House had disturbed him. As he played things over in his mind during the ride home, the more he was convinced that the policeman he had just met was indeed Prue's ex-boyfriend and by the look that passed between them, he suspected that some feelings may still be alive for the two.

Prying his grip from the steering wheel, he got out of the car and strode quickly into the house. He knew his rage was close to exploding and he refused to let it happen in public. As if Prue's actions of yesterday morning were not enough, she had now brought this man into their lives. A man with whom she shared a past. This was something she was going to pay dearly for, he thought, as he heard her finally close the front door behind her.

Hearing the click of the door behind her, Prue looked fearfully towards Roger, to find him standing at the bottom of the stairs with his back to her. She could see the tensed muscles in his shoulders and the slight shake of his hand as he struggled to contain his emotions. 'This is going to be bad' she thought to herself as he slowly turned to face her.

"What the HELL do you think you are doing, getting a cop involved in our lives?" Roger exploded. "And to make matters worse, he's not just SOME cop is he? IS HE?????" he screamed, his face turning red.

"Roger, honestly, he's simply an old friend of the family. I didn't want to get him involved but Phoebe told him everything and she asked him to look into it. Not me. I promise. I would never do that to you. Please believe me Roger" Prue reasoned, praying that he would believe her.

"Believe you. When you are blatantly lying to me? I saw the way he looked at you when you fainted. I also saw the way you looked at him. What? Do you think I am blind? You are engaged to me Prue. Not HIM. And right in front of both your sisters and me you are blatantly flirting with another man. How do you think that made me feel Prue? Were you trying to make me look like a fool or just trying to make me jealous after yesterday?"

Prue's mind flashed back to the events of yesterday morning that led to her recent hospital treatment.

Roger had left before dawn for work and Prue had been certain he had not had breakfast, so she decided to head to work early herself and take her fiancé something to eat. When she got to the museum she was surprised to find another car parked near Rogers but thought nothing of it as she locked her car, grabbed the box of muffins and cups of coffee and made her way towards Rogers office.

As she walked in without knocking, she looked up and, as if in slow motion, the muffins and hot coffees fell from her hands to land at her feet, hot liquid, spraying across her bare legs. She stood in complete shock as her fiancé looked up and smiled before he continued what he had been doing. There was nothing knew about that as he often ignored his fiancée when she came into his office, but this time was slightly different. His work was a young, blonde bimbo who was currently bent over Rogers desk with nothing on but a smile.

As Prue recovered from her shock, she screamed at them both before she could think about what she was doing. "What the hell is going on here? How could you Roger? We're engaged. And with a bimbo? What the hell is wrong with you?"

As Roger disengaged himself from the girl beneath him, he put his clothes straight before focusing his full attention on the person who had just disrupted his pleasure. Unceremoniously dismissing the girl he had been 'playing' with, Roger made sure she had left before rounding on Prue.

"How dare you come barging into MY office! What I do in here is none of your business and if you know what is good for you, you will drop this now. You have already embarrassed me in front of a friend of mine by barging in, do you really want to embarrass me any further with shouting and temper tantrums" he sneered at her.

"How could you Roger? I thought you loved me?" Prue whispered, as tears ran down her cheeks.

"How could I? Quite easily thank you very much. With someone at home as useless as you are in bed, I need to get some enjoyment somewhere. And as for love you? Don't be so stupid. Who could love you! You're pathetic and you've just proved that this morning."

Embarrassment and anger washed over Prue. Embarrassment as his words rang true and anger at herself for believing anyone could ever love her. As his words sank in, the tears began to fall quicker and she could feel herself losing her grip on herself. She knew if this continued she would become hysterical but she couldn't stop as his cruel words played over and over in her head.

She didn't remember what happened then but the next thing she knew Roger had taken her down to the museum car park, which was still deserted due to the early hour, and proceeded to punish her for what she had done.

As the events played through her mind, Prue felt humiliation wash over her in waves. Humiliation at the way she had reacted yesterday morning. Maybe Roger was right, maybe she had been trying to make him jealous by using Andy. There had certainly been a moment when she was looking at Andy that something had happened. She didn't know what it was but there was definitely something and maybe she had been trying for some jealousy from her fiancé in that moment.

As Roger waited for a reply he could see her mind working. He grew impatient as she failed to answer any of his questions and his anger grew by the second. Finally snapping, he reached out and grabbed Prue around the neck, pulling her towards him, feeling a moment's satisfaction as he saw the fear in her eyes.

He dragged her upstairs to their bedroom and threw her onto the bed. As she tried to scramble up the bed towards the pillows he climbed onto the bed and moved to straddle her. As he settled his weight on her stomach, he moved his hands around her throat and began to apply pressure. He knew he couldn't afford to put too many marks on her as everyone had seen the results of the 'mugging' or whatever it was she had told them was the cause.

Thanks to the bruises around her neck he knew he would be able to torment her for hours without raising any suspicions whilst teaching her a lesson she would not forget in a hurry. As he looked down at Prue, he could see her begin to lose consciousness and when her eyes were finally closed, and she had stopped struggling against him, he removed his hands from around her throat, checked she still had a pulse and then moved to change clothes. As soon as she was awake again, he would repeat his actions time and time again until she was begging for forgiveness for her appalling behaviour. Then in the morning, he would get the real answers out of her regarding the cop.


	7. A Friend In Need

Chapter 7 

As Andy awoke the next morning, he immediately thought of Prue. He wondered how she was feeling this morning and what had gone on between her and Roger when they got home yesterday afternoon. He needed to talk to her this morning to get some answers to his questions. But before he saw her he wanted to check out Roger and see if he could find anything on the guy.

After showering and dressing, Andy made his way to the station to run the police check. Sitting down opposite his partner he offered the briefest of Good Mornings before getting down to work. Andy could feel his partner's eyes on him and knew that Morris was curious. He hadn't shared the case with him yet, partly because he would have to explain about Prue. Morris could read him so well since they had been partners for nearly 5 years, and when Andy had suddenly dropped the case they had been assigned the day before but disappeared before telling him why, he knew that something was up.

When the police search came up with nothing on Roger, Andy decided to make a few calls to some of his contacts. Maybe they would be able find out something for him. After putting the phone down from the final call, he turned towards Morris to find him looking at him with an expectant look on his face.

After working together for 5 years, Darryl and Andy had become fast friends. Darryl and his family had been a rock to him during his divorce. He knew Darryl would get it out of him eventually so he decided to just spill everything and hope that his partner didn't think he was crazy.

Motioning to Morris, they left the station, jumped into Andy's car and were soon headed to their favourite diner. They often came here to discuss cases over good coffee and Andy figured this would be the best place to explain everything.

After ordering coffee and waiting for it to be brought over, Morris finally broke the silence that had been present since they left the station. "OK partner, spill. What's got you so worked up that you would just ditch a case in the middle?"

Taking a deep breath Andy replied, "Do you remember what I told you about the reasons Susan and I split up? Or I should I say, THE reason we split?"

"Yeah I remember, something about she thought you were having an affair with someone who actually turned out to be your high school sweetheart and all round love of your life?"

"Yeah well," he laughed, noting his partner's sarcastic tone when he said the last part. "That love of my life is my new case."

Morris was more than a little stunned. This was the last thing he expected Andy to say. He knew from the way he had talked about this woman that Andy wasn't just in love with this woman but head over heels, to the ends of his fingertips in love with her. As far as Morris was concerned for a love to survive that strongly after so long a part, well, she must be one hell of a woman.

"What do you mean she is your new case? What type of case?"

"Well I bumped into her youngest sister in the hospital the other day and it turned out she was there to pick up Prue as she had been mugged. We got chatting and Phoebe, the sister, mentioned that Prue had been having a run of really bad luck and that although she had filed loads of police reports, no-one had ever been caught. So of course I offered my assistance."

"OK. That part seems legit enough I suppose. What else?" Morris replied, knowing instinctively that there was more to this story.

"Well after speaking to Prue and getting some more information, I checked out the police reports on all the incidents. At least I tried to. Only a few of the crimes had actually been reported and those that had were actually reported by her sisters. When I went to speak to Prue about it, her fiancé was there to pick her up. I got a really strange vibe of him Darryl. He looked at me really suspiciously and he seemed very protective towards Prue when I walked in."

"Well you can't blame him for that Andy. His fiancée had just been mugged, he would automatically be wary of someone he didn't know don't you think?"

"Maybe" Andy replied, "But when it actually happened, he couldn't be reached and from what Phoebe said, this isn't the first time they couldn't reach him when Prue has ended up in the hospital. I think there is something going on there. I think maybe he is the one hurting her and putting her in the hospital."

There, he had finally said it out loud. He actually felt a little better for having said it aloud. Now as he sat there, watching Morris take it all in, he wondered what his partner would say. He also had to consider what his next move would be.

Morris sat taking his time processing everything Andy had just told him. He didn't know the whole story about what happened all those years ago but he knew enough to know that Andy had to be having a conflict of interests in the case. He couldn't deny it sounded more than a little suspicious, but he figured there was more at stake here than solving a crime. If he knew Andy as well as he thought he did, and he was right about how Andy still felt about this woman, then he knew that at some point it would cross Andy's mind that maybe he could get Prue back if her fiancé was beating her.

His professional side screamed at him to talk his partner out of following this case and handing it off to someone else. But another part of him told him that Andy needed to do this to come to terms with his past and confront the demons of his failed relationship with Prue. The only way he could safely allow Andy to do that would be to take the case himself and keep Andy in the loop. That was the only way he could think of to keep Andy out of trouble but sane. Question now was what Andy would say to his suggestion. Morris just hoped that he would accept his idea.

"Okay, so I think you may be on to something. It does seem suspicious from the facts that you have so far. But you have to have considered the problems of you investigating this case? Apart from the fact that you were high school sweethearts, you and I both know that you are still in love with her. Not only is that a massive conflict of interest but no matter how hard you try you are not going to be able to look at her, the fiancé, or the case objectively. Particularly if the fiancé looks guilty. Because, and I am sure you have thought about this, that could leave maybe the smallest possibility of getting back into her life the way you want to."

As Andy started to protect, Morris held up his hand to stop him. "Let me finish" he said, knowing exactly what his partner was going to say. "I am not going to suggest you pass it off to another team in the precinct. I understand that you need to be a part of this. So, I think, the best for all concerned would be for me to take the case. Before you say anything, consider this carefully. You'd be involved – to a point. You know you can trust me to get to the bottom of what is going on and keep you fully up to date with any developments. So, what do you say partner?"


	8. Pain, Guilt and Rememberance

Chapter 8 

When Prue woke in the morning, it was to a thumping headache, excruciating pain and no Roger. As she slowly regained her bearings and tried to move from the bed, the events of the previous day and night came back to her. Images of an enraged Roger straddling her upper body, his voice echoing in her head as he accused her of the most vile acts, and as she touched her hand to her throat, she could feel his hands around her windpipe, pressing harder and harder.

She had never known him to be so savage, so vicious. The longer he raged, thinking about her and Andy, the more depraved his mind became in imagining what she had done with her ex. The words he had used, the glint in his eye, she had thought that maybe he had finally gone over the edge.

But after hours upon hours of terrorising her, he had stopped. When she had awoken at 5am after the 7th time of passing into unconsciousness at his hands, she had found him curled in a ball at her feet crying. He had apologised, explained his jealousy, promised it would never happen and then insisted that if she really forgave him, she would let him make love to her.

The routine was the same each time. She had tried refusing him before but it only made things worse. The recriminations would never stop until he had had his way with her, and in the end Prue found it easier to let him. The in the morning when he had gone into work early, she would run a scalding hot bath, and ignoring the pain, she would get straight in, and proceed to scrub herself all over with a hard bristled scrubbing brush.

Having followed her 'morning after' ritual, Prue emerged from the bathroom to stand in front of her full length bedroom mirror. She now had to check for any other marks except those around her throat, and choose her outfit accordingly. Her throat bruises could easily be explained away but she didn't want to risk any other marks showing.

After checking herself in the mirror several times, satisfied with her choice of outfit, she went downstairs to drink some strong coffee. So far her nerves had held up and she hadn't had to take her medication. She had been prescribed pills in the event of a panic attack and also in the event of depression after the third 'mugging' earlier in the year, and she often needed one the morning after a problem with Roger.

But today she knew she needed to be drug free in case she was unable to avoid any further questions from Andy and the police. She knew from previous experience that when Andy wanted something he usually got it, and she knew from the way he looked at Roger that day at the manor that he wanted the truth.

If it was anyone but Andy she knew she wouldn't be worrying as mush as she was. The history they shared meant that he could tell when she was lying and when she was scared. At least that was how they used to be……when they had dated. She knew that rationally it was a hell of a long time ago and that he probably hadn't thought of her in years but a part of her always believed they would have that connection no matter what happened.

As she allowed herself to remember their time together, tears gathered in her eyes and a lump rose in her throat. God, they had been so in love.

_She had dreamed of weddings, children and a house with a white picket fence. She had dreamt of being happy and being free of her overbearing grandmother and her commitment to her sisters._

_She had spent so much of her own childhood and teenage years looking after them, acting the mom, that she longed to have a life of her own. But every time she tried to take an independent step something would pull her back. At times it was her grandmother reminding her of her responsibility to her sisters and at times it was her own overwhelming sense of guilt. _

_She knew, because her grandmother had told her often enough that she had to keep their mother alive for her sisters because they wouldn't remember her the way she did. She had told her again and again how lucky she was to remember how much her mother loved her, to have memories of being tucked in at night and being read to. Her sisters, especially Phoebe, had none of that to keep them safe and to comfort them, so she had to be it._

_At first she had welcomed the role. She loved her sisters dearly and she relished watching them learn new things and grow. But when her friends were beginning to hang out together outside of school, and later on date, she had begun to resent her sisters. She would find herself snapping at them for no reason and that would lead to more guilt. It was beginning to suffocate her. Between her sisters, the guilt and her grandmother's insistence that she excel in school to set an example for her sisters, she felt like she had nothing of her own._

_But then Andy had come along. They had been friends as children and once in high school remained friendly even though they hung out with different crowds. Then one day, the anniversary of her mother's death, Prue had been having a particularly hard time in school. At home she had to keep up a strong front for her Grandmother and sisters as they were mourning a daughter and lost mother. It didn't seem to matter that she too was mourning her mother – she had to be the strong one and get everyone else through it._

_School was no easier. She was popular, pretty and brainy…she certainly couldn't show her grief amongst her peers. So she found herself going through the day in a trance. No-one questioned her, no-one seemed to care. They simply carried on around her as if she weren't there. When finally she couldn't take it anymore, she ditched her final period and walked to her favourite place. She remembered her mother bringing her to a swing in a small park when she was very little and whenever she could take some time for herself she would head to the swing for space._

_As she left the school, no-one noticed except one person. Andy had known what today was as he remembered being sent home from the Halliwell Manor the day news arrived that Patty Halliwell had died. His parents had told him what had happened but Prue had never even mentioned it. Now, looking at her across campus he wondered if she was ok. Whilst they were not the best of friends, he cared about Prue in a way he wasn't sure how to describe, but acting on instinct, he decided to follow to check on her._

_When he arrived at the swing he found her sitting with her legs curled up underneath her, tears in her eyes and a far away look upon her face. Gently approaching the swing, she turned to face him and as she looked into his concerned face, she felt her resolve crumble and she dissolved into tears. He moved quickly to her side and took her in his arms, stroking her back gently and whispering calming words in her ear. She held onto him so tightly that he found himself amazed at her strength……and her vulnerability. She had always presented such a tough, together exterior that he found that image difficult to reconcile with the sobbing young woman in his arms. But as he continued to hold her, and comfort her, he slowly came to understand exactly what it was he was feeling for Prue. _

_When she had cried herself out they simply remained sitting together, holding each other. Andy continued stroking her back and hair and Prue simply took the time to pull herself together, and enjoy being held by Andy._

As Prue came back to the present tears rolled gently down her cheeks, but a small smile had settled on her lips. That had been the start of the best few years of her life, she realised, and allowed herself to momentarily bask in the feelings those memories invoked in her. But as the phone rang, and she checked the Caller Display, she nose dived back to reality when Roger's work number flashed on the screen. Composing herself, she lifted the receiver, throwing out a silent prayer that she had done nothing else wrong.


	9. Time for Action

Chapter 9 

Andy was speechless to say the least. He hadn't really known what to expect when he told Morris the full story but this was not one of the scenarios that crossed his mind. But then he didn't know why he was so surprised. His partner had never been anything but supportive of him and obviously this was not going to be any different. He felt better knowing that his partner didn't think he was nuts, and was going to get to the bottom of this.

"I don't know what to say man! Thank you so much. This means a lot to me you know?"

"Yeah I know it does which is why I am doing it. This girl obviously means a hell of a lot to you which means she means a lot to me too. But I want a promise from you right now – you will not do anything by yourself without checking with me first and if at any time I think that you are letting your feelings get in the way, you will listen when I tell you to back off."

"I understand completely man. Don't get me wrong, it won't be easy, but I will follow your lead. I trust you man!"

"OK so I need everything that you have so far and then we can plan our next move. I am going to need to speak to Prue, the fiancé, her sisters, and maybe some of her colleagues but we can decide on that later on. We'll go back to the station; you can pass me all the information, and then you can go home for a while. I'll need a few hours to go through everything and then I'll call you and let you know what the next step will be. Take the time to get yourself together, get straightened out and then we'll talk."

After handing everything he had so far over to Morris, he drove the long way home. He put in his favourite CD of the moment and drove for an hour, thoughts running through his mind. After seeing Prue again for the first time, Andy had been driving home and heard a song on the radio. He never really listened to the lyrics of songs but he couldn't help himself when this song came on. Somehow the words were speaking to him directly. He had immediately gone out and bought it on CD the very next day and it had been on his stereo ever since. As the familiar opening bars came on he let his mind drift to thoughts of Prue.

_"Last night I dreamt you were lying beside me_

_I smell the sweetness of your hair_

_You gently reached out to remind me _

_Of how it used to be_

_And I almost believed that this morning I'd find you still here"_

It was true. He had been dreaming about her non-stop recently. She haunted his dreams and every waking moment. He just couldn't get her out of his head.

_"But here in the real world_

_I miss you madly in the real world_

_I'm coping badly with losing you_

_What am I to do? Here in the real world_

_Without you"_

Although it had been so many years he really did miss her as if they had only broken up yesterday.

_"Last night I dreamt of a different ending_

_Everything just seemed to work out, somehow_

_I saw that someday I could smile again_

_Without pretending_

_I was so sure I would wake up, and I wouldn't need you right now"_

Some of his dreams ended with Prue married to Roger and she was happy. But he was happy too. He knew she was safe and loved and that she had everything she wanted. But then when he woke in the morning, he knew that that wasn't the case. He knew that she was none of those things right now and that it was up to him to rectify that.

As he pulled up outside his house, he resolved to do everything Morris had told him. He would get his head straight, get himself cleaned up and then he would wait for the call. He went into the house, dug out an old tape he had had for years, put it on fairly loud on the stereo and then took a shower. The soundtrack from Dirty Dancing poured out of the speakers as the hot water poured out of the shower and onto his tense aching shoulders.

This album had been a favourite of Prue's when they dated. It had been her favourite film at the time and it had been playing in the background when they made love for the first time. It was something he had always kept with him but it wasn't until his divorce that he had dared listen to the songs again. He still hadn't been able to watch the move though. Maybe he and Prue would be able to watch it together someday.

Pushing that thought from his head for fear of getting his hopes up, he got out of the shower, dried off and dressed, whiles the music continued. He was moving into Detective mode again, going back over every detail in his head, checking to make sure he hadn't missed anything. The more he thought about it, the more he began to think that maybe her sisters were the key to unravelling the mystery.

After all, they were obviously still incredibly close and Prue had stayed with them several times after these 'incidents'. They may have picked up on things that they didn't give a thought to at the time – but put together it could give them some clues. The question that bothered him most though was if they did know something was going on, why didn't they do something about it? And if they didn't know what was going on, how could they be so blind?

He had noticed that something was wrong the minute the situation was explained to him and he had become more convinced after speaking to Prue and meeting Roger. Watching the interaction between then two had told him immediately that there was something going on. Something bad. He decided that as soon as he spoke to Morris, he would tell him of his suspicions.

As he made up his mind, he heard his phone ring. He paused the music on the stereo and answered as quickly as he could. "Trudeau" he said briskly into the telephone.

"Hey man, it's me. Ok listen up, this is what we are going to do. I'm going to swing by and pick you up in about 30 minutes and then we are going to have a little chat with your ex. Once that is done, I have arranged to meet with both her sisters at the Manor House you mentioned. I'm hoping they may have some information to share if they are all as close as you said they were."

"That's great Darryl. I was actually going to suggest the sisters to you. I've been thinking about it and there must be something they can tell us. I'll be ready when you arrive and don't worry everything's under control."

"OK buddy, I'll see you in a few. Bye."

Andy spent the following 30 minutes getting himself ready; preparing himself mentally for what he knew would be a tough afternoon. He had to control himself, get his emotions in check. He had to do this for Prue, to get to the bottom of things.

Hearing a car horn outside, he shrugged on his suit jacket, grabbed his keys, pager and cell phone and left the house. After exchanging a greeting they drove the distance to the museum in relative silence. Morris understood that Andy needed the time to prepare and he needed the time to run over the questions he had in his head.

Parking in a visitors space, they headed towards the entrance. As they reached the door, Morris placed his hand on his partners arm and drew him to a stop. "Just for you to know, I rang ahead and the fiancé is out for the afternoon so it will just be us and Prue. I will ask the questions to begin with but of you think of something as we go along, feel free to jump in. Just prepare yourself for the fact that she may not want to give us any information about this guy ok?"

"I know. I've done my homework on victims of domestic violence. I'm ready for pretty much anything I think. Let's do it."

Walking through the main doors, they stopped at reception to ask where to find Prue Halliwell. As they were directed down the left hand corridor, Andy took deep breaths, calming his speeding heart rate. Knocking at the door, Morris waited for a reply before opening the door and stepping into the room.

"Miss Halliwell? Hello, I'm Inspector Morris from SF PD." He looked closely at her and could see evidence of make-up covering her bruises. From the extent of the cover up, and sheer amount, he guessed that underneath it all her neck was black and blue all over. 'Damn', he thought to himself, 'if it was the fiancé, he sure did a hell of a number on her."

"Yes, hello Inspector, I was told you would be coming down this afternoon. What can I do to help you?"

At the sound of her strained voice, Andy stepped into the room, and finally laid eyes on Prue.

Looking up at the doorway, a stunned look appeared across Prue's face before she managed to utter "Andy?"


	10. Pure Evil

Chapter 10 

Roger was still angry as he left the museum the following morning. Angry at himself for losing his temper but even more angry with Prue for putting him in that position to begin with. He knew he had to get out of work before Prue arrived, just as he had had to leave the house that morning before she came too. Their brief phone conversation moments ago was simply to confirm she would be coming into work.

He was used to the familiar guilt that was twisting in his gut as he remembered the things he had done last night. But there was also a small tingle of excitement that was growing by the minute. The guilt he was used to and had, by now, found a way to bury deep inside so that it would no longer bother him. The excitement was something else though. He knew it was partly because of the power he had over Prue – the ability to do whatever he wanted to her body and she couldn't, wouldn't, stop him. After last night, there was a new dimension to the power he held over her. The power to end her life at any moment.

It had never occurred to him before. Until now, it had always been about punishing her and making her feel pain. Now, as he relived his actions of the night before he realised that her life was literally in his hands. If she pushed him too far, he could simply end things. Permanently. As that thought penetrated his brain, he felt a rush of arousal surge straight to his groin. That surprised him momentarily. He always knew he enjoyed hurting Prue, but to think it could excite him that much……he was convinced there and then that he would be able to get off on that thought far more than his other fantasies involving her torture.

Knowing that Prue would be at the museum by now meant he needed something to do for the afternoon. Pressing Speed Dial 6 on his cell phone, he instructed his favourite hooker to meet him in their usual motel room in an hours time. Before he could try out his new fantasy, he needed to address a more urgent problem – Trudeau. Roger was convinced that something was going on between his 'beloved' and her ex-sweetheart.

It wasn't so much jealousy that was causing him the problem because he knew he didn't love Prue. She was just a trophy girlfriend and when they met, had been his way into the top job at the museum.

He had found out after some digging that the retiring boss doted on Prue and valued her opinion in every aspect of the running of the museum. He also knew that she had expressly turned down the job when it had been offered to her because she did not want to get side tracked by the day to day running of a business. She was all about the antiques. Silly girl.

He realised that she would be his 'in' with the boss. By all accounts she was also something of a challenge. The Private Detective he had hired to find out everything he would need to know, had discovered that she had a reputation as a hard nosed woman who didn't date at all. If there was one thing Roger loved it was a challenge and from that moment on, his mission was not just to get the top job, and all the money and prestige that went with it, but also to break the great Prue Halliwell. And break her he had.

Roger's main concern, he decided, was the threat Trudeau could pose to his perfect life. He had the trophy fiancée, he had the top job at one of the top museums in the country, and he had the money and social connections that he had sought for so long. He was finally living the life he felt he deserved and he wasn't about to let some bumbling cop from Prue's past ruin everything he had worked so hard for.

Pulling into a parking lot, he looked through his diary of business contacts, searching for a very important number. Quickly dialling, he waited only a few seconds before his call was answered.

"Turner Investigations"

"Cole, it's Roger. I need some work done and quickly. Don't ask any questions, just clear your desk and put everything you have onto this. I need immediate results, you got it?"

"Sure Rog, no problem, just give me what you have and I will get everything you need. Usual arrangement I assume?"

"Yep, usual arrangement. Subject is a Police Office with SF PD. Name of Andrew Trudeau. Find out everything, and ring me to arrange a meet ASAP. Thanks Cole."

Ending the phone call, Roger immediately felt better about the situation. All he needed to do now was make sure the two most important people in Prue's life had no suspicions whatsoever. Quickly dialling Piper's cell phone, Roger explained that he needed to speak to her and Phoebe in confidence later that afternoon as he was concerned about Prue. Piper only too readily agreed when he mentioned he was concerned and he arranged to meet them at the Manor at 5 that evening. He knew Prue would still be at at the museum so they would not be disturbed.

Checking his watch, Roger started the car, manoeuvred out of the parking lot, and headed towards the motel for his 'date' with Debbie. Relived that everything was in hand, the anticipation started to build as he thought of his new fantasy and the potentially explosive results.


	11. Awkward Questions

Chapter 11 

"Hello Prue, how are you feeling today?" Andy said as he walked fully into her office, closing the door behind him.

Momentarily flustered, Prue didn't answer immediately, but stood there in shock, staring at Andy. Recovering after a few moments Prue motioned for them to take the seats in front of her desk and moved to sit back down again. "I'm doing fine, thank you. Do excuse my surprise but I was only told to expect Inspector Morris."

"My apologies Miss Halliwell. Inspector Trudeau and I are partners and since this case involved someone he knew, he asked me to personally investigate this matter as he trusts me to get the results. I take it there is no problem with Inspector Trudeau sitting in on the interview with me? He will be working on the investigation and given your history he may think of things I would otherwise overlook."

"Um, of course not. That's fine, I just wasn't expecting it is all. However, I don't really understand what you want from me or what you hope to accomplish through this interview. I told Andy all I could remember of the attack and as for the other incidents, well you have all the information I could give about them too."

"Well actually Miss Halliwell," said Darryl, "having retrieved all the care details we could on previous incidents, we found a few discrepancies."

"Discrepancies? I don't understand. What do you mean?"

" Well your youngest sister, Phoebe, gave Inspector Trudeau details of all the incidents that had occurred in the last few years and said that each one had been reported to the Police, with no results being forthcoming. Upon checking all our records we only found incident reports for 50 of those mentioned by your sister. Each one of those shows the reporting person as being either Piper or Phoebe Halliwell. Can you think of any reason why the others have not be found as registered with the Police Department?"

"I honestly don't know what to say Inspector. There must be some incompetence within your force if only half the incidents I reported are on file. My sisters reported some when I was unable to, and I reported the others personally I can assure you of that. I wish now I had thought to keep a record of who the dealing officer was on each occasion, that way you may be able to find some answers to your question." Prue's heart was racing as she answered Inspector Morris. She couldn't tell them that she had never reported the other incidents because then they would want to know why. Forcing herself to relax, Prue waited for their next question.

Andy was stunned. He couldn't believe she had so blatantly lied just then. He knew exactly what had happened to those reports – she had never made them. Mentally he gave himself a slap. Of course she is not going to come and say she never reported them because then we would want to know why. Blaming the police force was her only option to be truthful. Still, he knew she must be desperate to hide the truth if she would lie to two police officers.

"Well Prue, I can assure you we will look into that just as soon as we get back to the precinct but I can tell you our Police Officers are extremely conscientious and take ever reported crime very seriously. We will of course launch a full investigation into this matter." That should make her squirm just a little, Andy thought to himself.

"So, Miss Halliwell, could you please recount the events of the day before yesterday for me. I know you have outlined them for my partner but I would like to hear them for myself so that I have everything clear in my mind."

"Of course Inspector, anything I can do to help." Prue then took a moment to compose herself before reeling off the story that she had rehearsed constantly since it had happened. She made sure to keep clear emotion in her voice and even managed tears in her eyes as she described being strangled. In her mind she was replaying events with Roger squeezing his hands around her throat. However, in the story she related to the two men sat listening, it was a masked, mystery man who nearly choked the life out of her.

When she was finished, she reached across her desk to retrieve a glass of water and took a long sip. Across from her Andy and Morris were silent as they let the information sink in. Andy was more convinced than ever that it was all a lie and that something else was going on here…something else involving her fiancé. Her little performance only strengthened this feeling. Andy remembered how good Prue had always been in Drama class at school, and while he had no doubt there was truth to the story she had told, her reactions were just a little out of time with her words.

Morris was troubled. There was no doubt in his mind that the actual violence Prue had just described had taken place. He could just about see the physical evidence on her body but there had been something about the look in her eye as she recounted her story that told him she was seeing the events in her mind and that they had undoubtedly happened. However, he was not convinced about the masked attacker. Something about the description and the tone in her voice when she described him that just seemed so clichéd.

"Thank you for that Miss Halliwell, I know that must have been difficult for you. I have just a few more questions for you and then we will be out of your hair I promise. Since these attacks began, have you received any strange phone calls, anything in the post, any emails?"

"Not that I can recall, no. I don't really use email all that much, all my mail here is screened as is everybody else's, and I don't recall any strange phone calls that stick out. Can I ask why?"

"We just want to rule a few things out. From the sheer number of attacks I am inclined to agree with your sister that these are not coincidences or bad luck, but that someone has obviously targeted you. In these instances, another form of abuse is common, such as silent phone calls, abusive emails or letters. If there had been any, this would have been another line of enquiry for us, but as there hasn't been any you can recall, we can focus our enquiry in other directions. I am sure you have been asked this before, but I need you to really think before answering. Can you think of anyone, anyone at all, that may want to hurt you in such a manner? Any enemies? Anyone you may have upset? An ex-boyfriend maybe?"

Andy tensed slightly at the last question. He hadn't really considered that at some point he might be hearing details of the men that had come after him. He wasn't sure it was information he wanted considering his feelings for Prue but he knew it was a question Darryl had to ask to cover all bases. After a minute or two, Prue replied, "No, there is no-one I can think of. I haven't upset anyone that I'm aware of to make them an enemy, and I cannot think of anyone who would want to do these things."

"No ex-boyfriends who may be bitter about a break-up?" Darryl asked, regretting the need for the question for his partner's sake, but knowing he needed to clarify her answer for the investigation.

"Um, no I don't think so."

"Are you absolutely sure Prue?" Andy asked, the policeman in him taking over. Something in the way she hesitated with her answer told her that there was something more to say.

"Yes I'm sure. If you must know I have only ever broken up with one person in my romantic life and that was you Andy. So unless you have something to confess, is there anything else you need to know? If not, I really need to be getting on with some work. We have a major collection going on display in a few days time."

"Of course Miss Halliwell. Thank you for your time and patience. We will be in contact if we have any news or need any further information." Morris said, as he rose to leave the office, gently tapping Andy on the shoulder to get him to move.

As he left the office in a daze, barely saying good-bye to Prue as he passed her by, Andy's mind was reeling from the confession. It was the last thing he had expected to hear. He had always imagined Prue being popular with the guys in college and beyond, after all she was beautiful, intelligent and a genuinely amazing person. He couldn't believe that before her and Roger there had been no-one else since their break-up.

Maybe, he thought to himself, she was as devastated by the split as he was and had encountered the same problems he had when trying to move on. It might also explain why she was protecting Roger the way she was. If he was only her second boyfriend and lover, and since he was older than her, he may hold a power over her that was more controlling than they could imagine.


	12. Lack of A Life

Chapter 12 

As Prue watched the door close behind Andy and his partner she let out a huge sigh and leaned back in her chair. She couldn't believe that she had just admitted to Andy that there had been no-one in her life since Andy and before Roger. She had seen the look of realisation register on his face as he registered what she had said and she wanted just what he thought about her confession.

Would he think that she had never been able to get over him? Would he think that she had continued to let her grandmother and sisters dictate her life? Or we he not give it a second though? After all what should it matter to Andy now whether she had dated after they split. For that matter she doubted it had mattered to him for more than a few weeks. After all he had gone off to college and probably dated as many girls as possible. After all that is what he had done before they got together.

Prue's mind slowly drifted back to her college days and the time that had been the loneliest of her life. Having to go to college at home was one thing, but having to live at home too meant that she could never fully live the college experience the way she had always hoped. At the beginning of her first semester she was still reeling from the painful break-up with Andy and the moving away of all her friends to colleges out of state. Prue had longed to go to a college back East but her grandmother had put paid to that idea straight away. She was adamant that Prue had to stay at home to help raise her sisters.

As far as Prue was concerned her sister's were old enough to start looking out for themselves but Grams had employed all the guilt tactics she knew to manoeuvre Prue into staying. Prue had resented her for that for a long time, only letting go of it truly when Grams had fallen ill. She had never resented her sisters though because they had wanted her to go as much as she had. But as usual Grams had got her way. Living at the Manor and having to take on additional responsibilities concerning her sisters and the house had meant that Prue missed out on campus life, all the partied her fellow students regularly attended and anything in general outside of classes. As a result Prue had had very little time to meet any guys let alone ones she wanted to date. Thinking about it now she wasn't even sure she would have dated even if she had been given the chance. She had been left reeling from her break-up with Andy and the thought of replacing him in her life had seemed ridiculous.

More than once during her time in college she had woken in the middle of the night from some forgotten dream calling out his name. He haunted her every waking and sleeping moment. She had often berated herself for being hung up on him. After all, he had not once called or written since he had left for New York. During the holidays she had not seen him once. He had not come to see her and so she had not gone to see him either. She had figured that if he wanted to see her he would come to her. As he had not it had probably meant he either wasn't home or he simply wanted nothing more to do with him.

Prue had spent countless hours replaying their relationship in her head. On the nights when she couldn't sleep, she would sit out on the deck in the back garden and remember all the things they had done, all the things they had said, plans they had made. It was like they were on a carousel in her head and she couldn't find the off switch. Images of them kissing, of they way he would grin when he was apologising, of the way they looked at Prom. A thousand images running riot across her eyes, each one breaking her heart that little bit more.

She had never told anyone of course. She suspected her sisters had known but they had never mentioned it. They had probably also known that she would never unburden her problems onto her little sisters. After all, she had always told them that she was there to protect them from anything that may hurt them and she had always kept that promise – even protecting them from the hurt she had been feeling.

Prue shook her head, brining her out of her reverie. She needed to concentrate on the problem at hand and that was convincing Andy's partner that she had simply been unlucky recently and that Roger had nothing to do with the injuries she had suffered. Taking a deep breath, she prepared herself to ring Roger and inform him of her visitors. If she didn't someone else probably would and that would only make things worse for her.

Speeding across town, Andy sat quietly processing the information they had just gotten from Prue. Could it really be that she had not dated anyone between himself and Roger? It just didn't seem right. He racked his brain trying to think. He knew Roger had Prue had not been together anywhere near as that length of time which meant that Roger really was only her second boyfriend. He also knew that Prue was not the type of person to have one-night stands or meaningless relationships for sex with someone. He knew all about Prue's attitude to sex as he had been the one to take her virginity.

Which meant that there was reason for her not having boyfriends. He mentally began dismissing possible reasons in his head. Sure she had lived at home throughout college and until recently when she moved in with Roger but he couldn't see that as a problem. After all they had dated in high school and Grams had had no problem with that back then. No that wasn't it.

Obligations to her family was the next to go. Sure, it had been a factor in their split up but not all guys were as stupid and selfish as Andy. She had found time to date and take care of her sisters when in high school so why not in college? Although there was more work and it was harder he also knew that Prue was incredibly intelligent and had a near photographic memory so work would not have gotten in her way.

The only other possible reason he could come up with was that she hadn't wanted to date. But that also seemed ridiculous to Andy. After all she was outgoing, vivacious, and a real people person. She had always thrived in social situations and had indulged in that side of high school life more than any other. Prue loved to meet new people and experience new things. That was what made her so special.

But then a thought struck him. She's not like that anymore though. Was that down to Roger and his abuse or was that what she had been like since he had left for New York? He had seen many victims of spousal abuse and some had lasted for years. Sure there was distinctive change in personality due to the mental abuse which accompanies the physical but there had always been clear indications in those cases that the change had begun at the same time as the abuse.

If Prue hadn't dated in college then maybe her personality change had started back then. As Andy completed his thought, another one struck him right between the eyes. Oh my God! What if I caused this change in her? What if this is all my fault for being stupid and breaking her heart? As the list of What If's? paraded through his mind he turned to look out the window at the passing scenery. One way to answer some of his questions was about to present itself. Her sisters would be able to tell him how she was throughout college and when the change started. But more details than that could only be provided by Prue herself. And right now he didn't fancy his chances in getting her to open up. As the car got closer to the Halliwell Manor, he mentally prepared some questions for Piper and Phoebe. Ones, which he hoped, would confirm or deny his suspicions once and for all.

In the seat next to him, Morris was working his way through his own thoughts on the meeting with Prue. Although he had seen a photo when he received her case file he had not been at all prepared for how beautiful she would be. Even with the bruising she was astonishingly beautiful and he could see exactly why Andy had fallen for her to begin with. And with everything Andy had told him, he could only imagine what that beauty combined her brains and personality could do to any man given half the chance. He could certainly understand Andy's failure to get over this woman.

He thought back to her admission that she had not dated except for Andy before Roger came along. From the look on his partners face he knew that that had shocked him and from the look on her face, he knew it had cost Prue a great deal to admit that in front of her ex. Having met her and heard Andy talk about her he could not understand why. She must have been inundated with offers whilst at college. She was the kind of girl who was always being asked out on dates so something bad must have happened to her to stop her from dating for so long.

Given the pain on her face as she admitted this fact to the two detectives led Morris to believe that Andy was the reason. She had obviously been as devastated by the break-up as he had been. Turning to look at his partner and seeing the myriad of emotions pass across his face as he chewed on the same admission led Morris to believe that Andy had considered the possibility but probably dismissed it. Morris suddenly realised that this case was going to change his partner forever and he hoped above hope that it would be for the good.

However, the good would involve Prue leaving Roger and getting back together with Andy and from what he had seen, short of Roger doing something more like almost killing Prue or maybe one of her sisters, Morris didn't hold out a strong hope of that happening. As he pulled the car up to the Halliwell Manor he hoped above hope that Prue's sisters would have some answers for them. Answers that would give them something solid to go on.


	13. Cruel Nature

Chapter 13

As Roger rolled off of Debbie, his cell phone began to ring on the bedside table. Taking a moment to catch his breath, he checked his cell phone screen to see who was calling and was surprised to find it was Prue. As he went to answer the call, he indicated for Debbie to continue what she had been doing.

"Hi Roger, it's Prue. I'm sorry to disturb you in the middle of business but I just wanted you to know that I have had a visit from inspector Morris of the SF PD and his partner Inspector Trudeau. They just wanted some more information."

"And what exactly did you tell them?" he managed to get out without groaning. Talking to his fiancée on the phone while Debbie did such incredible things to his body turned him on even more than he thought it would. It was blowing his mind even more than the latest fantasy they had just re-enacted.

"Exactly what I told them before. When they mentioned the missing reports I simply told them that there were some incompetent officers on the force who obviously did not file them." Prue chewed on her lip silently, waiting for his reply and hoping she had said the right thing. The last thing she needed to do now was to get Roger even more annoyed.

"Well, let's hope that is an end to the matter for now. That ex-boyfriend of yours is far too inquisitive for my liking. Far too inquisitive into your accidents and far too inquisitive about you. If he approaches you again, I want you to make it clear to him that you do not want him in your life in any way, shape or form. Do you understand?"

Prue knew by the tone of his voice that he expected a quick, compliant answer so without thinking blurted out "Yes, of course".

"Excellent. Don't worry sweetheart. You did just fine. How about when I get home tonight we go out for a quiet meal?"

"Umm yes, that would ne really nice. What time should I be ready? Do you want me to make the reservations or shall I leave that up to you?"

"I'll take care of everything. Just make sure you are dressed to kill and ready by 7pm. I have a late meeting but will swing by and pick you up. Oh and Prue?"

"Yes Roger?"

"Do something with your hair because it looks really bad at the moment. Bye"

As Roger ended the call and returned his cell phone to the night stand, he grabbed hold of Debbie, retrieved a pair of handcuffs from under the pillow and proceeded to cuff her to the bed posts. With his fiancée and her ex in mind, he proceeded to take out his frustrations on the girl beneath him.

At the museum office, Prue hung up the phone on the verge of tears. Once again Roger had managed to lull her into a false sense of security by offering to do something nice and then as an afterthought, took it away with one cruel sentence.

She knew she shouldn't be getting this upset about it. After all, this is what Roger did. She knew that but she still let him do it. As she let the conversation sink in, it suddenly dawned on her what had upset her the most. Roger's instructions regarding Andy.

As much as she didn't want Andy asking any more questions, for some reason the thought of never seeing Andy again, so soon after they had got back in touch, upset her and she realised, scared her. Even though she hadn't told him the truth, and had no intention of doing so, the knowledge that he was worried about her, that he wanted to protect her made her feel strangely safe.

It was insane, of course, and she knew that. After all what could Andy possibly do without her telling everything? Nothing that was what. But still the feeling was there. She could even pinpoint the exact moment the feeling had started the more she thought about it. That day at the Manor, when she had pretended to collapse and he had been the one to catch her. The way he had held her, the way he had looked at her, it had taken her back to a time when they were young, innocent and in love.

Of course she knew that didn't mean a thing now. But for the briefest of moments she had allowed herself to believe that she was in the arms of her loving boyfriend. And then Roger had spoken and broken the spell. As she looked from Andy to Roger and back again there was a new look in his eyes. One she didn't recognise and one which certainly did not reflect love. However she recognised the look in Roger's eyes very well. But this time it was not only directed at her but also at Andy. A look of pure hatred and rage.

Shaking her head, Prue pulled herself from her thoughts and quickly dialled her hairdressers to make an emergency appointment. Resolving to do everything she could to keep Roger happy, she knew she would tell Andy to stay out of her life, if for no other reason than to stop him being hurt by Roger.


	14. Opening Eyes

Chapter 14

Piper hurried to answer the doorbell knowing it would be Andy and his partner wanting to discuss Prue's case. Phoebe was just brining in some tea from the kitchen as Piper pulled open the front door and greeted both Inspectors. As they made their way into the front room, she took a moment to really look at Andy. He hadn't really changed in the years since he and Prue had dated but he looked troubled. Maybe it is something to do with what he wanted to talk to us about, she thought to herself.

"Please take a seat, both of you. Would you like some tea?" Phoebe asked, pouring cups for everyone.

"Thank you Miss Halliwell. I am Inspector Morris, Inspector Trudeau's partner. As I explained to your sister earlier, as Inspector Trudeau has a prior relationship with Prue, we thought it best that someone else take on the case. He will however be assisting me on the case"

"Well Ok then. How can we help?" Piper asked, slightly confused at Andy's surrendering of the case, and also by Andy's behaviour. He had barely looked at either of the sisters since entering the house and even now, as his partner had been talking, he had been looking about the room as if lost in memories. Painful memories if she judged the look in his eyes correctly.

As Andy looked around the room, he could see everything clearly. When he had been here the last time he had been so focused on Prue's presence in the room that he hadn't truly had a chance to take everything in. It didn't look exactly as it used to when they were younger but it was incredibly similar. It felt very familiar to him since he and Prue had spent a lot of time babysitting Piper and Phoebe instead of actually going out on dates. As he turned to look at them in turn, he realised just how much time had passed since then. As he looked at Piper though, he realised she had been studying him in return and the curious look on her face told him that she was still as intuitive and bright as she had been in high school.

"Well first of all we wanted to ask you which of the incidents involving your sister either of you reported and which she reported. Unfortunately, on a search of our records we could only find a few reported cases compared to the number Phoebe told Inspector Trudeau about at the hospital."

"Um sure, I think I can remember which ones I reported, what about you Pheebs?" Piper asked. "But why don't you simply ask Prue? She would probably remember better than us."

"We have done Miss Halliwell. We just want to be absolutely sure."

Phoebe and Piper began to list the cases that they had reported and as they did so, the bad feeling Andy had had since seeing Prue for the first time, settled further into his gut, taking hold and spreading.

"So you are absolutely sure that all other cases were reported by Prue?" Andy asked, wanting further clarification.

"Either Prue or Roger. I think he may have reported one or two incidents on her behalf when she was too shaken up and we weren't around." Piper replied, her suspicions starting to grow.

"Were either of you around when any of these incidents occurred?" Morris asked, as his mind began to form the questions he would ask based on the answer he was about to get.

"No actually, we only found out about them from phone calls from the hospital or Prue herself. Why? What does this have to do with anything?" Phoebe replied.

"We just need the details to be clear that's all. Since some of the police records are missing we need to ensure all the information we have to go on is correct." Realising he had to be careful with the way he worded his next question, Morris said "Can you tell me where your sister's fiancée was on the occasions he could not be reached?"

"Well haven't you asked Roger? He would be better able to tell you his whereabouts." Piper replied, mind going into overdrive. Why on earth would they want to know where Roger was? 'Surely they didn't…no they couldn't' she thought to herself.

"We haven't managed to speak to him just yet and we wondered if you knew so that we can continue with the investigation until we can speak to him" Morris said, hoping that the answer would satisfy them for now. From what he understood, the sisters were close to their brother-in-law to be and at this stage would very likely alienate them and they needed their co-operation if they were going to get to the bottom of the case.

"Oh well, Roger was either out of town on business or in meetings here in town, neither of which is unusual. Ever since Roger took over the running of the museum he has been incredibly busy. He would usually get back to us within an hour or two when he picked up his voicemail." Phoebe replied.

"So within a couple of hours he would come pick up Prue and you would stay with her in the meantime yes?" Andy asked.

"Um usually, yeah" Piper replied, her mind settling on a few incidents which at the time had worried her but she had later dismissed.

"What do you mean usually? What is it Piper?" Andy asked, studying her face intently as her mind worked overtime. There was something she was remembering and Andy had a feeling it was going to be something against Roger.

"Well now that you mention it, there were I think, 3 occasions, all the most recent, when it has taken a lot longer for him to get in touch. More than a day each time." Piper replied, thoughts whirling through her head a mile a minute.

"Can you think of the reasons for the delay? Were there any differences in the attacks? Where they took place maybe or time of day or even extent of injury?" Morris asked, as he moved to sit on the edge of his seat, willing the sisters to remember all the details.

"Well no I don't think there were any differences. Except maybe in the severity of her injuries. Wouldn't you say Phoebe?" Piper replied, her mind now in overdrive.

"Well sure, the last few occasions Prue has been hurt a lot worse than before. But what does that have to do with how long it took Roger to get our messages? Oh my God!" Phoebe exclaimed suddenly. "You think Roger has something to do with it don't you? You think Roger is the one hurting our sister! That's ridiculous. He loves her. He wouldn't do that. If he had even so much as raised a finger to Prue she would have left him. Besides she would have told us. We're her sisters" Phoebe rushed out.

"Please Phoebe, just listen to what I have to say ok?" Andy asked.

When Phoebe nodded for him to continue, Andy stood and began pacing the room, struggling to find the place to start. Deciding that the sisters should hear everything he took a deep breath, tuned to face them and began talking.

"From the moment I spoke to Prue in the hospital, something just didn't ring true. Now I know Prue and I haven't seen each other in years but when we knew each other we were incredibly close. We could tell what the other was thinking just with a look. The person who was talking to me from that hospital bed was not the Prue I knew."

"Well of course not Andy. A lot has happened since then and Prue has changed. We all have."

"That's true but as a policeman, there was something else bothering me about the story. So when I went back to the station I checked the reports you told me about Phoebe. The only ones we had on file were the ones that you just told us one of you two reported. Not a single incident Prue was supposed to have reported was on record. Now if it was only one or two I would certainly agree with Prue's supposition that they had simply not been filed by the officers involved. But we are talking more than one or two for it to be a coincidence."

"Go on" Piper said, moving to sit with Phoebe and reaching for her hand. The more Andy talked the more Piper began to worry for Prue.

"The other day here at the Manor, there was something, I couldn't put my finger on, but the more I thought about it, the clearer it became and the more worried I became. Prue's behaviour changed when Roger arrived. There was some sort of discussion going on between the two of them based on a series of looks. When Prue collapsed and I caught her, I saw a flicker of unrestrained anger in Roger's eyes for a split second before he regained his composure and became concerned. And then when Prue came to, the look in her eyes when she looked at me…well it was like we had been transported back years and we were in high school again. It was the look we always shared. But then Roger made his presence felt, she looked at him and for a moment she looked terrified. She hid it quickly but it was there."

"Andy, I don't mean to lessen what you and Prue had when you were younger, or your ability as a Detective but so far all you've convinced me of is that you are still in love with my sister and jealous. There must be something else." Piper said, gripping Phoebe's hand tighter as Andy again faced them. The look on his face told her there was more to come.

"You're right Piper. There's more. Morris…would you like to take it from here? Andy asked, surprised at the raw emotion in his voice.

"Of course. Andy you should down for this as I haven't told you this yet either. After Andy gave me all the information on the previous reported cases I did some further checking. In not one of the incidents was there a witness. Not one person questioned, or video tape checked was there evidence Prue was where she said was when any of these attacks occurred. Not one. Having spoken with Roger's secretary she confirmed for me that on at least 6 of these occasions, Roger did NOT have a meeting scheduled."

"Oh my God this can't be happening!" Piper exclaimed. "If what you believe is true, why hasn't she said anything to us? We're her sisters for God's sake. We're here for her, doesn't she know that?"

Recovering from the shock of his partner's revelation Andy turned to the sisters. "Piper, Phoebe, you have to know that in cases of domestic abuse such as this, there is usually mental abuse too. At this point we don't know exactly what Roger has Prue believing for her not to report him. But there is also another possibility you need to consider. Prue has always been the strong one in this family. She was the one who practically raised you guys, she gave up a lot to be a mom to you both when your died. We argued about it so often that I can still hear her in my head now. 'They are my responsibility Andy', she would say. 'Grams is right, I have to do everything I can to protect them, to stop them getting hurt. It's what our mom would have wanted and I will make sure they never get hurt, or know pain'. Those were her exact words. It's possible that she hasn't told you because she wants to spare you the pain and hurt."

"But she has to know we wouldn't want her to suffer just to protect us?" Phoebe said, fighting back the tears.

"Come on Phoebe. You know Prue better than that. She gave up college, her dreams, everything to be here for you both, to love and protect you. She is stubborn as a mule your sister." Andy said, smiling slightly as he remembered a time when he called her stubborn and she threw a piece of pie at him.

"OK, so we're convinced. What do we do now? Roger called us and asked to meet us here this afternoon because he's worried about Prue. Are you going to arrest him?" Piper asked.

"Right now, we can't. We have no proof he has done any of these things and without proof or a statement from Prue, we can't touch him." Morris said.

"So what, we just have to sit here and listen to him going on about how worried he is about her when we know it is a lie? We can't do that!"

"You have to or he will know you are on to him and that we are too. For the time being you have to continue acting the way you always have around him. You cannot give him any reason to suspect you feel any differently towards him" replied Morris.

"Well what can we do?" Phoebe asked.

"Right now, we will continue looking for evidence. What you can do is try and get Prue to open up to you. Now I'm not suggesting you come straight out with it and tell her what you know. That wouldn't work. Right now she is probably doing whatever she can to make things right with Roger to prevent another attack. Direct confrontation would only make her clam up further and give Roger more power. Just try and spend more time together as sisters. Talk to her. Make her aware that you are here for her as well as the other way around. She needs to realise that the protection thing goes both ways. Can you do that for me?" Andy asked.

Phoebe and Piper looked at each and reached a silent agreement. Piper turned to the two Inspectors and answered for them both. "Whatever it takes to get Prue away from that psycho, you can count on us."

"Thank you both. I will keep in contact you and let you know when we get anything. You should do likewise. This card has both our numbers on so anything ok?" Andy said as they got up to leave.

"OK. And thanks Andy for everything you are doing for Prue. Andy I'm sorry about what I said before about the jealousy and still being in love thing. I just didn't want to believe what you were trying to tell us." Piper said as she walked them to the door.

As he turned to leave, Andy turned back to Piper, looked her straight in the eye and said "That's ok Piper. You were right. I am still in love with Prue. Always have been, always will be."

As Piper watched him walk away she couldn't help the involuntary shudder that ran down her spine. She had the strangest feeling that more pain and hurt would be caused before this was over and done with. Closing the door, Piper and Phoebe headed back to the front room to discuss their best approach and prepare themselves for the meeting with the person hurting their older sister.


	15. Truth Hurts

Chapter 13

An hour after Andy had left Piper and Phoebe were finally ready for the visit from Roger. They had talked extensively about how they could help Prue best and had come to the realisation that they could use this visit to help Prue. Andy had suggested that they spend more time with Prue doing sister stuff and if Roger was going to talk about how worried he was about Prue, they could suggest she have some time off from work and indulge in some quality sister time to help her get over everything that had happened.

There had been a lot of tears during their discussions. Neither of them could quite believe what was happening. They couldn't believe that they had not noticed what was going on right under their noses. How could Prue have been going through that hell and not have said anything? That hurt them the most. How could she not trust her own sisters? How could she stay with a man who would do those things to her?

Phoebe had been the most upset by Prue's silence until Piper had related a few stories to her. Stories of arguments between Grams and Prue that she had overheard as a child. Arguments about Prue's responsibility to her sisters, about her duties to her sisters. Whilst Phoebe had known about Prue's sacrifices she had never known the extent of the pressure put on her by their Grandmother. Phoebe had been shocked to say the least.

The only thing missing from their discussions was their sister. They both wished she could have been there to talk to them about their childhood, about Grams, and about her sacrifices on their behalf. Whilst they both agreed they appreciated what she had given up for them, they also agreed that had they known this would be the result they would rather she hadn't done what she had. Whilst they realised that Prue had sheltered them from pain and heartache, they also realised that that had led to Prue's suffering, and their devotion to their big sister ran as deep as her devotion to them. They agreed that they would both have gladly suffered the pains of growing up if it would have spared Prue this ordeal.

As the doorbell rang, they both silently agreed that they would do whatever it took to keep Prue safe and to get her away from this maniac. They would gladly agree with everything he said and even sympathise with him if it meant that they could help their sister.

As Piper rose to answer the door, she looked to Phoebe and gently nodded her head. Phoebe nodded back and silently in their minds they both repeated the mantra they had adopted…"For Prue".

Piper opened the door to be greeted by a nervously smiling Roger. She had forgotten how nervous he was about the manor. Prue had once mentioned that Roger had thought the Manor haunted and was wary of it and now, thinking of that, Piper smiled wider and invited him inside. She led him to the front room where Phoebe was waiting, fake smile firmly in place.

"Please take a seat Roger. You said on the phone you were concerned about Prue. What exactly is concerning you and what can we do to help?" Piper said, plastering a concerned look upon her face.

Roger smiled inwardly to himself. Putty in his hands he thought as he composed himself for the performance of a lifetime. "I can't actually put my finger on it but since the latest attack she just isn't the same. She is constantly jumpy, nervous and I think she is having trouble sleeping. Since you guys are her sisters, I was wondering is she had mentioned anything to either of you?" Roger said, whilst plastering a fake conciliatory look upon his face.

Piper could feel Phoebe tense next to her and instead jumped to reply. "Well we haven't seen her since you picked her up Roger and while she was with us she mostly slept so we couldn't really tell you anything. I can only imagine how she must be feeling though, with everything that has happened to her over the past year. Do the police have any leads? Do they think it could be connected?" Piper asked.

"Why do you ask that Piper? About them being connected I mean." Roger asked, suddenly intrigued.

Inwardly Piper kicked herself. The last thing they needed was Roger becoming suspicious of them. "Oh no reason. It's just that the other day, when the police were asking questions, someone commented on how unlucky Prue had been and they were wondering if maybe there was a connection between the attacks. You know, like maybe she had made someone angry, like an ex-boyfriend, or a client or something."

"Oh well, I haven't spoken to the police yet, I was in a meeting all afternoon. I did have a call from Prue though to say she had had a visit. She seemed a little shaken up by it so I am taking her out to dinner tonight. Something to take her mind off things and hopefully help her relax. I was just wondering if she had said anything to you, or if you had any ideas on how I could help her through this."

Phoebe lightly squeezed Piper's arm to signal that she had control of herself and would answer this time. "Well as Piper said, we haven't seen her since you picked her up but if you are that worried about her then maybe we can help." Phoebe said, before biting her tongue.

"Anything you could do to help would be great. I know how close you guys are, and how much you share together. Of anyone were going to get through to Prue it would be her sisters. What did you have in mind?" Roger replied, inwardly congratulating himself on a job well done. They actually believe him! he thought to himself.

"Well, since you are Prue's boss why don't you give her some time off. If we are going to get to the bottom of this, then some quality sister time is in order. We'll take her out, have lunch a couple of times, go shopping. You know, girly things. Sister things. Maybe then she will open up to us about the attacks and about what is bothering her. Maybe talking about it will help and who better to talk to than your sisters right?" Piper replied. Inwardly her stomach was in knots, hoping he believed her and didn't question her further.

"That sounds good to me, but why won't she open up to me? She knows how much I love her and still she won't talk to me about it. I just want to be able to help her through this hard time. I want her to know that once this is all over we can start planning our wedding, our lives together. I want her to know that I will do everything in my power to put a stop to these attacks and keep her safe for the rest of our lives. I love her so much, you guys know that?" he said, as much a question as a statement.

"Of course we know how much you love her Roger. You have done nothing but be good to Prue since you guys got together and we know how much you guys love each other. You know that as far as we are concerned you are already our brother-in-law. We just want what is best for Prue. But you must have realised by now how independent Prue can be? She has been since our mother died and even more so since Grams passed. Prue has to be in charge, on top of things, and protecting everyone else. That is just her nature. Don't worry. If anyone can get through to her it is us, her sisters right?" Piper said, hoping her nervous ramble had appeared as concern to Roger and not nervousness as it was.

"Yes, I am sure you are right." Roger said, breathing a sigh of relief. They had bought it and now he knew he had nothing to worry about apart from Prue. "Hopefully she will open up to you guys and confide in you her fears. Just promise me something?" he said, using his most pleading voice.

Swallowing the bile that had risen to her throat following his performance Phoebe said "Of course Roger, what is it?"

"Just promise you will let me know when she confides in you so that I can help her in any way that I can?

"This minute we find out anything, you will be the first to know, we promise. We know that you only want the best for Prue and you know that as far as we are concerned, you are just that. We will let you know if she tells us anything Roger." Piper replied, as she somehow managed to keep down the bile in her throat as she told Roger exactly what he wanted to hear.

"That means everything to me, you know that. I have only ever wanted the best for your sister, and of course for the both of you. Thank you for helping me with this. I didn't want to burden you at first but then I realised that for Prue's sake, she would need her sister's to help her through this ordeal. I know how much she loves you guys and counts on you for support. I have to admit that I was a little worried when Prue's old boyfriend Inspector Trudeau showed up, given the background you all share with him." Roger said.

"You have no need to worry about Andy, Roger. After the way he treated Prue there is no way she would even look at him twice. Besides she is in love with you and is planning to marry you. There is no way she would like twice at anyone else. Don't worry so much about Andy. He is in the past as far as Prue is concerned, I am sure of it. After all, they left things so badly back then, there is no way she would give him in a look in, not when she has someone as loving and attentive as you are to her. Don't worry. We know that our sister is in safe hands and even more importantly, she knows she could be in no safer hands." Piper said, before biting the inside of her mouth to stop from saying what she really felt.

"Thank you, you don't know how much that means to me. Your acceptance into this family means the world to me and I know it will mean a lot to Prue too. Well, I should be going. I am taking Prue outfor a quiet, special dinner tonight so I had better not keep her waiting. Thank you so much for your help. I means a lot to me. I will arrange for Prue to have the time off from the museum and I will leave the rest to you. It was nice seeing you both. Take care and I am sure I will see you soon." Roger said as he moved towards the front door.

Both Phoebe and Piper followed him and as he walked through the door and down the first couple of steps they said in unison, "No problem Roger. Anything for Prue."

Roger turned slightly, offered a small smile and continued on down the steps to his car. As he got into the car, put his seat belt on and started the engine, he smiled gently to himself and mentally congratulated himself on a job well done. Pulling away from the sidewalk, he offered a small wave to the sisters stood in the doorway and then began to make his way home, a plan forming in his mind for his next punishment of Prue.

As Phoebe and Piper waved back, closed the door and made their way back into the front room, they both let out a massive sigh. They had done it. They had convinced Roger that they were on his side and that they would do everything to they could to help him. They had done it for Prue. And they both realised that the easy part was behind them. Because they both knew that getting Prue to confide in them would be the hardest task of them all. But it was one they were prepared for, and one in which they were prepared for nothing but success, because failure could only spell pain for Prue. And they were adamant that no more harm should come to the sister who had given up so much for them.


	16. The Beginning of the End

Authour's Note - Sorry it has taken me SO long to update. I do have my reasons but I won't bore you with them now. Needless to say I am back and from now until the end of the story I will be aiming to update regularly - hopefully at least once a week if not more. Thank you to all those who sent me feedback and asked for more. Hope you enjoy. Sorry it is so short, but I am just gearing up - the chapters that follow will be longer. Lady Piwah

Chapter 16

As Roger drove home to pick up Prue, his cell phone rang. Checking the display the number told him it was his private investigator which must mean he had news. Cole knew better than to contact him without any information.

"What have you got for me" Roger said answering the phone.

"Well the guy is pretty much clean. Clean record on the job, nothing in the financials, everything appears above aboard."

"Well why the hell are you ringing me? You know the deal. You keep looking until you find something. Anything. I don't care what it is"

"Hang on a second there Rog. You didn't let me finish. I think I have found exactly what you need. Records show he has an ex-wife. Relatively recent divorce. Reason given was irreconcilable differences. However, court records show that the divorced was caused because the wife believed he was cheating. With Prue."

As the words sunk in, Roger momentarily lost concentration and almost didn't see the traffic lights turn red until the last possible moment. Slamming on the breaks quickly, Roger regained his composure ignoring the blast of the horn from the car behind as it managed to stop just before hitting him. Returning his attention to the phone still in his hand, Roger quickly asked Cole to send him all the papers he had to his private fax machine at the house and quickly disconnected the call.

As the lights changed to green and Roger again set off on his journey home, his mind was in turmoil. Could she really have been cheating on him and he not have known? He had had her followed on and off to ensure her fidelity before his control and been asserted over her but it hadn't been constant. Could Prue possibly have cheated on him? Was she even capable of such an act? He had never thought so before but Trudeau's wife obviously thought so. Enough to divorce him anyway.

And then it struck him. She had divorced him for irreconcilable differences and not infidelity. That must have meant she had no proof. Calming himself with that thought he turned into the street they lived on and resolved to wait and read the documents before making any decisions and judgements.

Opening the front door, Roger deposited his bag by the coat stand and made straight for his office, keen to read the papers before taking Prue out to dinner. He knew it would make them late but he needed to know.

As he reached for the door knob to his office, he heard Prue call his name hesitantly and turned to see her standing at the bottom of the stairs, hair done the way he liked, wearing a dress he had picked out for her and wearing only the make up necessary to cover up her marks.

"I'm ready, just like you asked Roger. I hope this is ok" she asked, fearful of the answer.

Composing himself to make sure he didn't give her any reason to think something was up he merely looked her up and down and replied "I suppose it's the best you a do so it will have to be ok. I have a few things I need to see to. I will be ready to leave in 15 minutes. Oh and take off that ridiculous lipstick, the colour is awful on you". And then he turned and walked into his office, leaving Prue stood in the hallway preparing herself for what was going to be a difficult evening.

As Roger closed the door behind him he let out a sigh of frustration and made his way to his desk and his fax machine. He was more than a little bothered by the possibility of Prue having cheated on him and that annoyed him. It wasn't that he loved her, it was simply that it meant she took him for a fool – or had at some point before he had asserted his authority. The thought was abhorrent to him.

Ordering his mind, he took the first page of the report Cole had sent and settled down to read. There was certainly a lot of detail contained in the court papers and as Roger read more and more, he became angrier than he could ever remember being before. The man had had the gall to admit in his divorce proceedings that yes, he was still in love with Prue! The records showed that Trudeau had consistently denied an affair, denied having even seen Prue for years and denied any wrong doing on his part other than still being in love with another woman.

As Roger came to the end of the report concluding with the judgement, one thing was abundantly clear in his mind. Trudeau was in love with Prue and would stop at nothing to get her back. He would need to take action to stop that from happening. He enjoyed the power too much now and this added complication made him all the more determined to marry Prue. He would just have to move up their wedding plans and quickly. But first, he had to deal with Prue.

As that thought materialised in his head, another seed took root. What better way to ensure that Trudeau stayed away from Prue than to make it look like he was the one attacking her. As a plan began to form in his mind, he locked away the report Cole had sent him with all the other reports he had regarding Prue. As he walked towards the office door he decided tonight was as good a night as any to begin and he knew it would have to be big. The biggest and most devastating yet he thought to himself as he closed his door and turned to smile at Prue, indicating he was ready to leave.


	17. A Perfect Act

Chapter 17

As Prue and Roger entered the upmarket Italian restaurant renowned for it's exclusive booking practices heads turned to stare. Both were well known to many of the diners, the higher classes of San Francisco. Roger kept a possessive arm around Prue as they were guided to their table by the maitre de who always served them.

Once they were seated and their drink orders had been placed, Roger leant across the candle lit table to take Prue's hand in his. He knew he had to appear the most loving, attentive, devoted fiancé in public if his plan was to work. The drinks that he had ordered were also chosen for appearance. Vodka tonic for Prue and soda water with a twist of lime for him.

Stroking Prue's hand gently he leaned in closer and began to talk. To be able to hear him Prue had to lean in as well, creating an intimate look about them. Roger was simply telling her some mundane details about his day but to anyone observing it looked as if he were whispering romantically into Prue's ear. Between the candlelight, the caresses and the closeness people couldn't help but see a couple hopelessly in love.

No-one in the room expected anything less. Everyone had witnessed this time and again and the only question they ever asked was when the couple were going to make things official and get married. Whilst long engagements were quite fashionable in places, this was becoming more than long. It had been years since they had become engaged and still no hint of a wedding date.

What no-one in the room knew was that they would have the answer to that question by the end of the night.

As Roger finished telling Prue all about his boring meetings, managing to miss out the one with her sisters, he leaned back in his chair languidly whilst their drinks were brought and they each ordered their food. Roger was deciding how best to make his next move.

Meanwhile Prue was wondering what Roger was up to. Whilst she was used to the public displays of devotion, there was something different about tonight. For one, when they went out he never let her drink. She always had to drive so he could drink and he never let her choose her own food usually. Tonight he had told her to pick whatever she wanted from the menu. She couldn't remember a time when he had ever done that.

Prue had had a bad feeling building inside of her all day and now it was growing stronger. Roger had something in mind, of that she was sure. She just didn't know what exactly. Waiting was always the worst for Prue. Knowing he was going to do something but not knowing what or when made Prue's stomach cramp up in tension. The aftermath of one of Roger's attacks she could deal with because she knew what to expect – pain and lots of it. Plus there were pain killers which would help. But the not knowing part – that was the worst for Prue.

After the waiter had left them alone, Roger again leaned forward but did not move to take her hand again. Prue knew this was it, that something was coming but nothing could have prepared her for the shock and hurt she felt when he finally spoke.

"So Darling, Inspector Trudeau was married then?" Roger said, peering at Prue over his glass rim waiting to judge her reaction.

Prue's hand stopped halfway towards her mouth and she raised her eyes to look at Roger. She was stunned. As the words sank in, a range of emotions began running through her so quickly she barely had time for them all to register. Hurt, anger, betrayal, despair, longing and fear manifested themselves so quickly Prue couldn't think straight. She knew she should be saying something right now but for the life of her she couldn't think what.

As her hand began to tremble and tears came unbidden to her eyes, the sounds of the restaurant suddenly reasserted themselves in her mind and she remembered where she was. Putting her glass down quickly and rapidly blinking her eyes, Prue raised her eyes to look again at Roger and said the first word that came to mind "Married?"

Roger was livid. He could tell from her reaction that contrary to his fiancée's assertions she did indeed have feelings for her ex and strong ones at that. Why else would she be so distraught at the idea that he had been married. On the other hand, it made it clear to him that there had never been any affair otherwise Prue wouldn't have been so surprised by the revelation. Deciding on his best course of action Roger plunged on: "Yes married. Some years ago now I believe but it ended in divorce. A very messy one by all accounts with rumours of his infidelity. I never would have guessed he had it in him" Roger said chuckling lightly.

Prue's head was spinning and her heart was sinking. Andy had been married! To someone else! And he had cheated on her! Not her Andy. It couldn't possibly be true. But then she reminded herself how the hell was she to know if it was true or not. They hadn't seen each other in years until recently and she certainly hadn't kept tabs on him although she had considered it on and off over the years.

She willed herself to calm down and remind herself that it didn't matter. Andy was not a part of her life anymore and Roger was. Deep down a little voice screamed "LIAR!" but she buried it even deeper until she could no longer here the voice. And then she suddenly realised her mistake.

Whilst she had been talking to herself in her head and processing what she had heard, Roger had been reading her reactions like a book and judging on the look on his face right now, she had just sealed her fate for this evening.

"Roger, I'm sorry. I don't know……" Prue began but before she could finish Roger held up his hand indicating silence.

"Not now" he said with barely controlled anger. "We will talk about this later at home. At length, you can be sure of that. For now, smile, laugh and carry on as if you hadn't just betrayed your future husband.

Silently kicking herself, Prue did as she was told and her public façade began to reassert itself. Laughing at whatever Roger was saying and smiling widely Prue's carefully controlled act belied the turmoil raging underneath. Roger continued to order her more drinks until by the time dessert came round, she was already on her 6th drink.

As their meal came to and end, and the dishes were taken away, Roger requested the bill from the waiter and leaned across to say something to Prue.

"I am going to make an announcement to our friends that are here tonight. Whatever I say I want you to smile, look happy and go along with it with no signs of surprise. If you should fail at any of these, what you have in store will only be made mush worse, do you understand me?"

"Yes" Prue whispered, tucking her hand beneath the table so Roger would not see it tremble.

Roger paid the bill and left a generous tip for the waiter and proceeded to stand. Moving around the table he helped Prue from her chair, took her hand in his and wrapped his other arm around her waist. Guiding her to the front of the restaurant, Roger turned, cleared his throat loudly and waited for everyone to turn in his direction.

When Roger had everyone's attention, he turned to look at Prue by his side with a happy smile on his face. Prue's expression matched his and pleased with her at so far, Roger turned back to their friends who looked on with expectant looks upon their faces.

"I am sorry to interrupt your evening friends but I would like to share a very joyous announcement with you all. Many of you have been asking us when we will be setting a wedding date as you all seem to be as impatient as I am to make this beautiful woman my wife." As Roger laughed so did many others throughout the room.

"Well I can officially tell you that shortly you will all be receiving invitations to attend our wedding. It will be held in 4 months time and we would be delighted if you would all join us to celebrate what will undoubtedly be the happiest day of our lives."

As Roger turned to kiss Prue, the assembled diners broke out into applause and everyone cheered. As she kissed Roger back and continued to smile, Prue's mind was reeling. She had just given away her feelings for her ex and here her fiancé was announcing a wedding date! Confusion raged in her head, but the effects of the vodka were starting to take effect and she found it difficult to complete a thought. The only feeling she could hold on to was fear. And as Roger led her out of the restaurant and to their waiting car, Prue felt the feeling which had been building all day suddenly reach a crescendo inside her chest.

This was it. She knew it. She knew that whatever was going to come when they got home was so much worse than anything she had experienced so far. But despite the fear, she could not stop her eyes from closing and her mind sinking into oblivion as the vodka took over and sent her to sleep.


	18. Punishment and Pain

Ok So just a little warning for all of you. This chapter is quite disturbing in the violence that it portrays which is why it has taken me so long to write. It's quite scacy the depths that some people will sink to, butI assure that the majority the acts depicted in this chapter (with the exception of the ending) are not the product of my imagination but actually based on something that happened. I just want you to beware that this is a very dark chapter. I promise some lighter, slightly less angsty stuff will be coming soon.

Lady Piwah

Chapter 18

When Roger pulled up to the house, Prue was asleep in the passenger seat – passed out was more like it thanks to the vodka he had ordered for her. So far, so good he thought to himself. Everything was going according to plan. Getting out of the car and moving round to the passenger side, Roger opened the door and looked down at Prue. He had backed up to the house to ensure no-one could see the passenger side of the car or the front door itself.

For a moment he stood and simply looked at her. Even now he had to admit to himself that she really was beautiful. She looked so peaceful sleeping that he allowed himself the luxury of just looking. He drank in every detail of her face. He watched her bangs fall gently across her face and resisted the urge to tuck them behind her ears the way she always did herself.

As he began to smile at the thought of her doing just that, he caught himself short. Angry at himself for feeling any kind of emotion, he leaned down and pulled her roughly to her feet. Blocking out any possibility of him having actual feelings, and for Prue of all people, he quickly dragged her towards the front door, allowing his temper to go unchecked.

Once inside, he half carried her towards the master bedroom, being none too gentle along the way. Throwing her onto the bed with all his strength, Roger move quickly around the house gathering everything he thought he would need. He didn't want to leave anything to chance. Not tonight anyway.

Prue had barely stirred as Roger brought her upstairs and now she lay, where she had been dumped, across the bed she shared with Roger. Roger moved back into the room with renewed purpose and put the items he had collected along the way on the bedside tables to allow easy access.

He then moved towards his closet, rummaged around in the back for a moment and retrieved some tatty sheets he had stashed some time ago just in case. Bringing them over to the bed he began laying them out, pushing and pulling Prue out of the way to ensure they covered the whole of the bed, several layers thick so nothing would get through. Surveying the room he made sure the drapes were completely closed, and then moved to unplug the telephone next to the bed. He definitely did not want to be disturbed tonight. Making one last sweep of the room, he began to undress himself and then Prue, confident he had thought of everything.

Fully naked he regarded Prue's body and then looked to the objects he had brought with him. It took him a moment but he finally decided he would begin with the glass and work his way up. Wrapping the glass in some of the old sheet, he wrapped it tightly and then smashed it down hard against the bedside table, hearing a satisfying tinkle as the glass broke. Taking great care to unwrap it so as not to cut himself, Roger selected the largest sharp piece he could find and rewrapped the remains and placed them back on the unit.

Turning to Prue he took a moment or two to decide where to begin. Deciding to leave her face until last, Roger took the piece of glass and began to cut along he rib cage leaving bright trails of blood in his wake. Being careful not to leave any kind of pattern, Roger began to widen his work area and moved down across her stomach and finally on to her legs.

Taking a moment to admire his handiwork, Roger began to trace the glass over her breasts, upper chest, arms and then finally her face. The more he worked the harder the glass was to manoeuvre as it was covered in so much blood by now. The cuts he had inflicted were shallow but not to shallow as to seep minimal amounts of blood.

Happy with his work so far, he turned Prue over and proceeded to slice her back and legs' making sure no part of her body was left uncut. By the time he was finished, whilst immensely pleased with what he had accomplished so far, he was a little worried that Prue had not yet woken. Whilst she had indeed drunk a lot of alcohol for her, he had thought she would come to some time during the cutting because of the pain he was sure they must cause.

As he turned her over again, he reassured himself that he had not made a mistake by checking her breathing, heart beat and then taking her pulse. She was alive and apparently sleeping as her breathing was the same as it was when she slept at night. As much as he had hoped his plan wouldn't take all night, a part of him wanted her awake for at least some of it. It was more fun that way.

So deciding to wait until she had woken up, or at least stirred a little, he moved to the DVD player, inserted the disc he had brought up with him and settled down to watch his last "session" with Prue, which he had recorded as usual. He liked to relive her humiliation and pain, it always helped soothe him. Keeping a close on eye on Prue whilst still watching the screen, Roger got comfortable and simply waited.

About an hour later, Roger was relieved to see Prue finally start to move a bit. He was surprised it had taken this long and also annoyed. He wanted this over and done with soon. This one was not one to be savoured unfortunately. He was going further than ever before and he silently admitted to himself that he was just a little nervous.

Switching off the TV and quickly removing the DVD from the player, Roger moved back over to the bed and placed the disc in his bedside drawer for safe keeping. Turning to look at Prue he could see she was coming round as a frown appeared across her forehead and she gasped slightly in pain.

Roger quickly picked up his next object and moved to stand over Prue, gripping the wooden candle holder tighter as Prue began to open her eyes.

"Well finally. Nice of you to join the party _sweetheart_" he ground out, gently tossing the holder between hands, enjoying the momentary confusion in Prue's eyes which was quickly replaced by a fearful one.

"Roger. What……what's going on?" Prue managed to get out whilst looking around the room as much as possible before looking down at her body to find the source of her pain.

Before Roger had a chance to respond to the question, Prue began to shake moan and then cry as she saw the cuts Roger had inflicted. The more she moved to look, and the more she shook, the more the pain tore into her.

Enjoying the sight in front of him, Roger moved closer to Prue on the bed, still wielding his weapon of choice and gently stroked her hair. "Sshh it's ok Prue. I'm just punishing you in an appropriate manner for your betrayal of me. It should be over soon so don't worry too much" he said, whilst changing his grip on the holder and looking up and down her body.

Deciding to start at the bottom and work upwards, Roger moved towards her legs, and brought the weapon crashing down upon her left leg. Prue screamed in agony as the pain erupted in her leg and then moaned further as her body moved and reopened some of her cuts.

For the next 30 minutes Roger methodically beat every part of her body, whilst Prue moved in and out of consciousness as waves of fresh pain rolled over her battered, bloodied body. When she was conscious, Prue could only scream and beg for Roger to stop. She daren't move her arms to stop the blows as she knew he would break them. She hoped he would be done soon but the same dreadful feeling she had had earlier had returned in full force, and as she again slipped into unconsciousness she prayed the next time she awoke she would be in hospital and he would be done.

When Roger was satisfied with his work, and the bruises that were already forming he rolled Prue over and methodically his way back up to her head. When he reached her head this time, he rolled her back over and composed himself.

This he knew was going to be the second hardest part of tonight. Adjusting his grip, moving Prue's head to the side, Roger lined the holder up with a desired point on the side of her skull. Taking a generous swing, he brought his arm back down in a sweeping, firm movement and winced slightly at the crunch sound he heard upon contact.

He was sure that blow would leave Prue unconscious for as long he needed to fulfil his plan. Quickly moving away from the bed, Roger changed his clothes and placed his in the refuse sack he had brought with him earlier. He also placed the candle holder and glass remains in the bag. Turning to Prue's closet he removed her skimpiest night dress and proceeded to dress her in it. Ensuring he had forgotten nothing for the moment, he hoisted Prue onto his shoulder and moved down through the house to the front door. Opening it quickly he moved directly to the car and opened the passenger side, unceremoniously dumping Prue into the seat before shutting the door and running back into the house.

Once upstairs again, Roger removed the old sheets from the bed and added them to the sack still sitting in the middle of the room. Checking the bed one last time to ensure no stains had come through the sheets, Roger tied the sack and with one last look, left the bedroom and moved back downstairs and out to the car.

Placing the refuse in the boot of the car, Roger moved to the drivers side and got in. As he pulled out of the driveway, he had a quick look at the nearby houses to see if anyone was out or looking through their curtains, not that he thought that anyone would be at this time of night, but he wanted to make sure.

Driving through the late night streets, Roger drove carefully and ensured he remained within the speed limit at all times and did nothing to draw attention to himself. As he pulled into a less than desirable area of town, he slowed the car looking for the address he had been given some time ago for times such as this. Locating the house he was looking for, he stopped the car, got out and moved to retrieve the bag from the boot.

Checking to see if anyone had seen him, he moved quickly to the front door and rang the bell. Thirty seconds later the door was opened by a disgruntled looking Cole Turner, dressed in a robe and looking like he had been asleep.

Seeing who was at his door, Cole quickly shook of the remnants of sleep and glanced from Roger, to the bag, and to the car. "What do you want?" Cole asked.

"I need you to dispose of this ASAP in that special way you mentioned you could. No trace of this can ever be found do you understand me?" Roger said, thrusting the bag in Cole's direction.

A knowing look crossed Cole's face, and looking smug he replied "Finally lost your temper huh? Finally bumped off the Mrs? Or was it the hooker?"

"None of your business Turner. I pay you for information and to carry out little jobs like this, not to pry into MY life, you understand me?" Roger spat out, anxious to be on his way, but reticent to do so until he had the investigator's word.

"Hey chill man. Just asking. I'll take care of this right now for you ok?" Cole replied.

"Right. I'll be in touch" Roger said as he turned and walked back to the car, checking for signs of life in the neighbourhood and thankfully finding none.

Getting behind the wheel, Roger started up the car and was again moving towards the final part of his plan. Heading onto a coastal road, Roger turned to check Prue was still breathing. Satisfied everything was going to plan, Roger stepped on the accelerator a little harder.

Twenty minutes later he had arrived at his destination. A cliff top with a nasty little drop. Not nasty enough to kill, but enough for his needs. Getting out of the car, he moved around to the passenger side and manoeuvred Prue into the driver seat and got into the passenger seat himself. He knew that to make this look authentic and exonerate himself, he would need to be in this accident too.

Putting his seat belt, and ensuring it was secure, he looked over at the drivers side and did not Prue's on. Leaning over he started the ignition again and moved the car into drive. Roger grasped Prue's leg and, taking a deep breath, put it hard onto the accelerator managing to sit back up into his seat as the car lurched forwards and over the cliff.

Across town, Andy Trudeau woke suddenly in his bed. Not knowing what had awakened him from his dreams of Prue, he sat up in bed to take a sip from the glass he kept there. As he came more awake, he became aware of the lead ball that had formed in the pit of his stomach and of the ache that was in his heart. Taking deep calming breaths, Andy concentrated intently on the feelings he was experiencing. As he searched these feelings, he had a sudden overwhelming urge to see or speak to Prue.

As his mind began to process everything the pieces suddenly clicked into place, and Andy leaned over and reached for the phone. Dialling the familiar number, he waited several seconds for an answer.

"Morris" came the disgruntled reply. His partner did not like being woken in the middle of the night.

"It's Trudeau. Something bad has happened to Prue. Don't ask me how I know but I know. I'll pick you up in 10." Andy said and promptly hung up the phone without waiting for a reply.

Dressed within 90 seconds flat, Andy grabbed his keys and cell phone and he ran out the door to his car. Suppressing the urge to scream Prue's name and breakdown in tears, Andy planted one thought firmly in his mind. _'Prue is alive I can feel it. And I am going to kill that son of a bitch this time.' _Driving towards his partners house, he repeated the words in his head like a mantra, whilst silently acknowledging his fear at what they would find when they found Prue.


	19. The Hunt Is On

Chapter 19

As they made their way to the Manor, Andy and Morris barely said a word. When Andy had picked up his partner, he had explained what had happened and whilst Morris thought it bizarre, strange, unreliable and a million other things, he could tell Andy really believed what he was saying so he had kept his mouth shut and simply agreed to go with his partner.

Pulling to a stop outside the house, Andy took a deep breath before getting out and mounting the familiar steps, Morris close behind him. Ringing the doorbell a couple of times, Andy took a step back, hands on hips, waiting.

After a few minutes and few heavy knocks on he door, he heard a voice call from behind it "Who is it?"

"Piper it's Andy. I'm here with my partner Morris. We need to talk to you both now"

The door opened to reveal Piper and Phoebe in their dressing gowns, holding onto one another's arms with a scared look upon their faces. One look into Andy's face sent them headlong into panic. "Oh my God what's happened? Why do you look so upset? What's he done? Is Prue Ok?" Phoebe rattled out before Andy could even open his mouth.

Morris took over the conversation and attempted to calm everyone down. "I'm sorry we are calling in the middle of the night but we really need to speak to you about your sister. It may be nothing to worry about but if we could just come in, Andy can explain everything."

Moving out the way to let the two detectives in, Piper and Phoebe explained terrified glances and closed the door, moving into the sitting room behind the men, and moving to sit in a chair together, holding tightly to one another's hands.

Now he was here sitting in the manor, Andy had no idea where to start. Was he scaring the sisters for no reason? Maybe Prue was safe and sound at home with Roger, fast asleep. But then he was hit again by that overwhelming ache in his heart and he knew that he was right. Turning to the sisters he began to tell them what had brought them to the house at this ungodly hour.

"Now I know this is going to sound wild, ridiculous and completely absurd, but please just listen to me until I'm done ok." When both sisters nodded he continued on.

"About 35 minutes ago, something woke me. At first I didn't know what it was but as I came more awake I became aware of this feeling like a ball of lead was in my stomach making me feel sick and of a deep ache in my heart."

As Piper went to say something Andy put his hand and up and said "Please Piper just give me a minute to finish ok." When she said nothing he continued on.

"I concentrated on those feelings and I suddenly had an overwhelming urge to speak to or see Prue. I can't describe it completely but it was as if she was in danger and I needed to get to her as soon as possible. Now I know how preposterous this sounds. Believe me I do. But this feeling was too strong for me to ignore. I know it is ridiculous to think that Prue and I could have any kind of connection since I haven't been in her life for so long, let alone one this strong but I know what I felt and it scared me."

Looking hard into Andy's face both sisters could see that what he said was true. He was truly terrified by whatever it was had woken him and he truly believed something had happened to Prue. He wouldn't have come otherwise they knew that.

Looking at each, the sisters nodded almost imperceptibly and turned to Andy, Piper saying "Ok Andy we believe you. What do we do now?"

Relieved that they hadn't laughed, or gotten angry, And took a deep breath, looked to his partner and then spoke. "Thanks. First I think we should go over to the house. Check it out, see if there is anything out of the ordinary. Whilst we do that, I will radio back to the station and check for any reports that might have come in and also get them to check the hospitals just in case. As soon as you're dressed we'll go ok?"

Both girls nodded and then left the room to quickly change, both wondering what they would find when they got to their sister's house. A few minutes later they came back down the stairs together, dressed against the cold night air, and along with the two detectives, left the house, making sure to lock the door behind them on the way out.

On the way to the house, Piper tried calling Prue's house and cell phone as Morris called the station and asked them to check for any reports regarding either Roger or Prue and to check the hospitals for the same names.

Pulling up outside, everything looked quite normal. Roger's car was parked outside the house but there was no sign of Prue's car. Piper and Phoebe knew that Prue never parked it in the garage which must mean it was either in the shop or she was out in it. Looking at their watches, they thought to be quite strange. No lights were on, but the four of them made their way up to the front door and rang the doorbell, stepping back a little to see if any upstairs lights came on.

After a few minutes they rang again, and then pounded on the door, but with no response. Silently agreeing that there was obviously no-one home, the group moved back to the car. When the car was moving once again Andy said "OK so we'll swing past the museum on the way to the station just in case."

Everyone was silent as they made their way to the museum and after doing a once round the car park and finding no trace of Prue's car, they proceeded on to the station where they immediately left the car and went straight to Andy's desk.

Morris left the others to go check for the results of his search whilst Andy seated the girls and went to get them coffee. By this point it was nearly 6.30am and the day's shifts were beginning to file in in dribs and drabs.

Both detectives came back at the same time and Andy handed coffee to everyone as they both took their seats. "OK so there have been no reports about either your sister or Roger and likewise with the hospitals which is good news so far. I have asked them to put out an APB on your sisters car, so hopefully we should hear something soon."

As Morris finished an officer came over and handed a piece of paper to Morris. Reading it quickly he turned to face the others and said "We just had word. A patrol car has just radioed in. Prue's car has been found at the bottom of a small cliff. Paramedics and rescues teams are on their way now. Come on, I have the location details. Andy give me the keys, I will drive" Morris said as they all grabbed their jackets and ran out of the station.


	20. Rescue

Chapter 20

Before Morris could stop the car put it in park, Andy was out the door and racing towards the nearest uniformed cops.

"Any news on the driver? Where is she? What are her injuries?" he demanded from the officers who stood in front of him.

"No news yet Inspector. I hadn't realised Homicide had been called Sir." The first officer answered.

"They hadn't. We had an APB out on the car with regards to an ongoing investigation. What CAN you tell me Officer?" Andy replied, impatient for any information about Prue. He could feel his heart racing in his chest he was so scared.

"No-one has been able to reach the vehicle yet Sir. It looks as if someone was thrown clear, possibly the driver. They are slightly visible away from the car but again we cannot reach them yet. We believe there is still someone in the car as well. Best that we can tell from the road marks, car tried to break at the last minute but couldn't stop in time. Drove straight over the edge. Rescue crew just arrived and are now getting suited up. They should be going down in the next few minutes or so." Replied the second officer, aware that for some reason, the Inspector was not someone he should annoy in any way tonight.

"Rescue is here? Excellent. Take me to the Officer in charge of the rescue – I am going down with the team." His voice indicating that he would not be taking no for an answer.

As Andy made his way over to meet the officer in charge of the rescue team, Piper, Phoebe and Morris found their way over to the officer who had remained.

"Can you tell us exactly what you told my partner Officer?" Morris said, without bothering to make introductions.

Without asking any more questions, the officer repeated everything that was said and then watched as Morris walked over to speak to his partner who was getting ready to move out.

Looking at the two women who had arrived with the policemen, he guessed they were probably related in some way to the owner of the car. Their faces were tear streaked, with worry etched across their foreheads. Under any other circumstances, relatives would wait back at the station when something like this went down but this was obviously something out of the ordinary. He watched as the women made their way over to the two Inspectors as his own partner came back to join him.

"Are you sure about this mate? You haven't exactly done a lot of this before. I know you need to know what's happened and you want to help Prue but what if your lack of training puts her in more danger? It looks bad down there man" Morris was saying as Piper and Phoebe reached them.

"Don't worry Morris. I have spoken to the team leader and he is happy for me to go along as long as I hang back and let them mark the way. I won't do anything or go anywhere unless they tell me and I certainly won't do anything to endanger Prue's life or mine. When this is all over she is going to need me and I am going to need her. I won't do anything to put that at risk, trust me"

"Be careful Andy. Bring our sister back for us" Piper said, as fresh tears made their way down her cheeks. Holding on to Phoebe for support, they moved back to the car, aware that Morris would come and get them when there was news, and not being able to watch the rescue efforts.

Andy moved off and joined the rescue team, as Morris moved to a clear vantage point where he could see the car and surrounding area. Borrowing some binoculars off a nearby patrolman, Morris surveyed the crash site in more detail. The car was a write off that was for sure. The front end and engine were gone. The driver's side was practically demolished. He hoped to God it was the driver that had been thrown because at least that would mean they could still be alive.

He followed the lights which had been set up on top of the cliff and saw what appeared to be a human leg sticking out of the bushes. From this distance, and with the obscured view, it was impossible to tell whether it was male or female. He moved his focus back to the progress of the team and managed to locate Andy. True to his word, Andy was behind the rest of the team following the orders shouted to him. It was slow going but they were making steady progress.

Back at the car, Piper and Phoebe were sat huddled in the back seat clinging to each other. Every scenario imaginable was running through both their minds, and each one was scarier than the last.

Images flashed through their minds of Prue lying on the ground, bleeding with broken bones. These were followed by images of Prue lying bruised and battered as Roger's feet. Everything had happened so fast lately that they still hadn't had the time to process the danger their sister was truly in. Now it was becoming all to clear. This had to be down to Roger. Sure Prue was a bit of a speed demon when the mood took her, but not in a reckless fashion.

A little voice in the back of Phoebe's mind was whispering that maybe Prue had done this to escape from Roger. Maybe she had believed this to be her only way out.

As the thought permeated, a look of horror crossed Phoebe's grace and she slowly turned to look at Piper.

"What is it Pheebs? What are you thinking?" Piper said, worry creeping into her voice, and fresh tears springing into her eyes.

" I was just thinking about Prue and her driving I know she would never be reckless no matter how much she likes the speed. Bit then something occurred to me. What if…What if…" Phoebe couldn't finish the sentence as a sob stuck in her throat.

Piper pulled her younger sister into a tight embrace, knowing what it was that Phoebe was trying to say.

"No sweetie. I don't, won't believe that for a second. You heard what Andy said. No matter how bad things got for Prue, she would never do anything to hurt us. We mean everything to her and there is no way she would leave us. She is a fighter – she just needs to be reminded of it. Mark my words, when Prue is better from this, we are going to sit down and talk some sense into her if it is the last thing we do. It is high time our sister realised that we don't need protecting anymore and that we will do anything for her, just as she always has done for us. So stop crying now sweetie. As soon as Andy brings Prue back we are going to need to be strong. For Prue!" Piper said, wiping away her own tears.

Phoebe looked at her sister, wiped her own face and simply said "For Prue!" with a new steely resolve. Piper was right. Prue had done everything in her power to protect them from hurt and from danger. She had to know that leaving them would hurt them more than anything else in the world. As he relief at this sank in, she heard a yell come up from beyond the cliff edge, and then saw Darryl running towards them from his vantage spot.

"Piper, Phoebe. They have found Prue. It seems she was driving but was thrown from the car. Andy is with her and will be riding up in the harness with her. I only sketchy details as a full assessment will be carried out at the hospital but her injuries look pretty bad. Come on, I'll take you over to the landing area. An ambulance is waiting."

As the three raced to the spot where Prue and Andy would be lifted to, Andy was making sure all the ropes were secure. His brain refused to acknowledge the images he had seen. No amount of warning from the other had prepared him for the sight of Prue when he got to her.

She had been lying with her face down in the dirt, her right leg bent at an unnatural angle, clearly broken. He couldn't bear to see her this way, but it hurt even more that she was unconscious and he breathing was becoming increasingly shallow and difficult. He knew that they had got to her just in time as she was in urgent need of medical attention. Someone had said something about a possible punctured lung.

Holding on tight to her stretcher and his own rope, they slowly made their way up to the top. He knew the ambulance was waiting as were her sisters and his partner. He wished he could save Phoebe and Piper the pain of having to see their sister like this but he knew he couldn't. It wasn't his place. And besides, he figured they were sick of being shielded from things that might hurt them as their sister had so obviously been doing for so long.

Once at the top, Prue was whisked into an ambulance along with her sisters by the waiting paramedics. He knew that the rest of the team were working on removing someone from the passenger side, and that the chances were that that someone was Roger. But right now all Andy cared about was getting to the hospital and getting to Prue.

Andy removed his gear as quickly as possible and allowed Morris to lead him to the car and before long they were racing towards the hospital, towards a diagnosis that would change things for everyone concerned.


	21. Waiting and Diagnosis

Chapter 21

During the trip to the hospital, Piper and Phoebe had watched as their sister had stopped breathing a total of 4 times, each time the paramedics had taken longer to bring her back. They had clung to each other praying for their sister to start breathing again. They had gripped her hand tightly and told her over and over how much they loved her and how much they needed her.

As they pulled up outside the hospital, the staff surrounded their sister and whisked her off to the treatment room, calling out stats and instructions as they went. Neither could get the image of their sister lying on the trolley not breathing, out of their heads. Every time a door opened, or a Dr appeared, they would start from their seats hoping for news about Prue.

Ten minutes after they had arrived, the entrance doors swung open and Andy and Morris hurried in. Looking around, they quickly located the sisters and made their way over to them.

"Is there any news? What have they said? Do you know where she is?" Andy said as he reached the girls and pulled up a chair.

"No we've heard nothing since we got here and they took her away" Piper choked out in between sobs.

"How did she look in the ambulance? I couldn't really get a proper look coming up in the harness." As both girls started to cry again, Andy realised something had obviously happened on the way to the hospital. "What happened Piper? Tell me" he said as he moved closer and took her hands in his.

Taking a deep breath, Piper began to recount everything that had happened from the moment they had closed the doors to the ambulance to the minute Prue had disappeared behind the doors in the hospital.

Several times during her story Piper broke down in sobs and Phoebe held her until she calmed. Phoebe would have taken up the story herself but she couldn't stop the tears long enough to form a sentence let alone the whole story.

Andy sat in stunned silence. His heart was in his throat as he heard the number of times Prue's breathing had stopped. As Piper described the cuts he hadn't seen, his breathing increased until he was sure he was going to start hyperventilating.

As Piper finished telling them everything, Morris had joined Andy in the next seat and had his hand on his partners back in a gesture of comfort and support. As much as he knew his friend was suffering hearing all these details, his heart went out to the young woman lying on a hospital gurney yards away.

True they didn't yet know exactly what had happened, but from the reports he had picked up before entering the hospital, Roger had been the passenger in the car and his injuries had been nothing in comparison. He was at this very moment on his way to the hospital in a separate ambulance to be checked over for concussion.

At that thought, Morris went and spoke quickly to the person in charge of the reception desk in the ER and advised them of the situation. He thought it best to spare the sisters any encounter with their sister's fiancé for the time being – at least until they knew more on Prue's condition and what had happened.

When he had been assured several times that when's Roger's ambulance arrived he would be brought in via a different entrance and kept away from where the Halliwell's were waiting, Morris returned to the devastated group.

Several hours passed with no word from the doctors working on Prue. People had been coming and going but no-one had told them anything. Andy had harassed every member of staff he could lay his hands on but still they wouldn't say anything more than "We are still working on Miss Halliwell. As soon as there is any news, a doctor will be out to see you."

After another agonising hour, a doctor finally emerged and made his way over to the sorry looking group. "Are you the sisters of Miss Prudence Halliwell?" the doctor asked, looking at both girls.

"Yes we are. Can you please tell us how she is? What has taken so long? Please tell us our sister is ok?" Piper said, studying the doctors' face for any sign of what was to come.

Sensing the doctor's hesitation to speak in front of the 2 men, Phoebe said "It's ok, they are friends and police officers working on the case. Anything you have to say to us you can say in front of them."

"Ok then. I am able to tell you that your sister is now stable. However, she is not out of the woods yet. As you know, Prue's breathing stopped several times in the ambulance on her way in and it took us several hours to get this under control to enable us to assess her other injuries. The reason her breathing was so bad was that both her lungs had collapsed. This was caused by her ribs, all of which were broken when she was thrown from the car."

The doctor stopped to allow this information to sink in for all concerned. He knew that the worst was yet to come. As he watched the emotions playing across their faces, it became apparent that what he was about to tell the group would utterly devastate them.

"There is more I'm afraid. Your sister had many injuries which don't believe were consistent with the accident. 95 of her body is covered in cuts. Now, whilst many of these are no doubt from the glass in the accident, it looks to me, and to my colleagues, as if some of the cuts were made some hours before the fresh cuts from the accident."

"Prudence took a very hard knock to the head. Whether this was from landing when she was thrown from the car, or from something else I can't really say at this time. What I can tell you though is that this is the main reason for her unconsciousness. It has caused severe swelling of the brain which we are unable to stop at the moment. It has started to slow down, and appears to be abating, but only time will tell I'm afraid."

"The fall from the car has caused several broken bones, aside from her ribs. I'm afraid both arms are fractured and her pelvis has been broken in 2 places. Her right leg is also very badly broken. The bone has been replaced back inside her leg, and metal pins will be inserted at a later date. Her condition is not stable enough to perform such an operation at present."

"We have had to remove her spleen, as it had ruptured quite badly and she was losing worrying amounts of blood. She has been given a transfusion and this has certainly helped her a great deal. I know this is a lot to take in, but there is one final, very important issue you must be made aware of."

"When your sister was thrown from the car she sustained some spinal injuries. At present we do not know what this will mean as there is significant swelling around the spine. Until this swelling goes down, we will not know the extent of the damage."

Phoebe, Piper and Andy were totally stunned. They couldn't comprehend all that they had been told. Morris was the one to regain his senses first and he asked the most important question.

"When will she wake up? When will we know……the extent?" he asked, looking apologetically towards the sisters for being the one to ask.

"I'm afraid we cannot answer that question. Every medical support is being given to Miss Halliwell eight now, and the rest is up to her and her body. Only she can determine the rate of her recovery now. The ventilator is breathing for her right now to give her lungs a chance to rest and heal." The doctor replied, wishing he did not have to heap so much worry on this group of people.

"I am going to see to your sisters transfer to the ICU. Once she is settled a nurse will come and get you. Due to the extent of her injuries a private room has been arranged."

As the doctor left the group each allowed the news to sink in. Only now was it hitting home that this was very serious. Prue could still die – that was essentially what the doctor had meant, even if he hadn't come out and said it.


	22. The Waiting Game

Chapter 22

"You have been very lucky Mr Davenport. The concussion is very minor indeed and other than a few bumps and bruises you are ok considering. You will be free to go as soon as the police outside have spoken to you" the doctor said to Roger.

"Can you tell me any news on my fiancée? She was in the car with me when it happened and so far no-one will tell me anything" he said, putting on a concerned expression.

"I'm sorry Mr Davenport, I don't have that information at the moment. All I can tell you is that her sisters and friends are with her in the ICU department. The police officers outside may have more information as I know they have spoken to the Detectives investigating the case." The doctor said as he turned and left.

Outside the room, he beckoned to one of the waiting officers and said "He has been asking about his fiancée again. I said I had no info other than that she is in ICU and family are with her but said you may or may not be able to tell him more. He is free to go in terms of his health. I have strict instructions, as I am sure you do, that he is not be allowed anywhere near Miss Halliwell. I haven't told him that but he is going to ask you pretty soon. Just thought you should know. Good luck Officer Andrews." He said as he walked off to tend to his next patient.

Officer Andrews returned to his partner, Officer Davies and filled him in what the doctor had to say. Both had been briefed by Inspector Morris on the case so far, their suspicions and how they were to proceed with Mr Davenport. They knew what they had to do and they also knew it wasn't going to be easy. Checking that they were both ready, they knocked, and entered the room that Roger was waiting in, totally focused on the task ahead.

Meanwhile, in the ICU, Piper and Phoebe were sat either side of their sister holding her hands amongst all the tubes and talking softly to each other and Prue.

The doctors had said to talk to her, read to her, even play favourite music to her. Apparently familiarity often helped with recovery. Andy had left an hour ago to change from his dirty clothes, pick up a CD player and also some CD's. Piper had given him her key to the manor so he could go into Prue's old room where most of her CD's remained and pick a select few. She knew Andy would know which her favourites were. Her taste hadn't changed much over the years and she still listened to a lot of the stuff she owned when she and Andy were dating.

Morris knocked gently on the door and Phoebe looked up and beckoned him in. "How's she doing?" he asked standing at the bottom of Prue's hospital bed and looking at the machines surrounding her.

"No change yet, but we know – she's just being stubborn. She'll wake up when she's good and ready." Piper replied, smiling through the tears in her eyes.

Morris knew she was being brave and strong for both Phoebe and Prue but he could tell none the less and he admired her for it. He also knew though that it wasn't necessary. Being strong and protecting each other from upsetting things was what had got them into this in the first place. Sure he knew Prue was doing what she was told, was she made to believe was best, but he also knew she was doing the wrong thing.

"Just wanted to keep you up to date. I don't want to make things worse for you but Roger is going to be fine. He escaped with a few cuts and bruises and slight concussion. I don't know how the son of a bitch managed it but he did. The officers who have been standing guard are now talking to him. They are going to get his initial statement and fill him in on the fact that you guys have a restraining order against him based on the doctors' assessment of Prue's injuries."

"I imagine he is not going to take that news well but there is nothing he can do about it right now. They are going to let go for the time being after the statement. This will allow us to follow him for a bit and set up some surveillance. We are going to need solid evidence as I don't think a confession will be forthcoming."

As Piper went to reply the door opened again and in came Andy with the CD player and some choice CD's. "Hey, any change?" he said, receiving a shake of the head from Phoebe in reply. "Well I have the CD's you both mentioned and a few others I got from home which might help. I kept a few which reminded me of our time together so they might help." He said as he began setting up the equipment around the room.

"When we were dating and Dirty Dancing came out in the theatres Prue must have dragged me this movie like 20 times. She loved it completely. And she loved the soundtrack too."

"I remember her playing it over and over again in her room. It used to drive us both nuts," said Phoebe smiling at the memory. "I always remember this one song she liked more than the others – but it wasn't the one everyone else loved, it was a different one but I can't think for the life of me what it was. Andy?"

"Yeah Pheebs, that's the one I brought. The song she loved the most was 'These Arms of Mine' it was one of 'our' songs. We used to dance to it, make out to it even. This is really embarrassing to admit but I have a compilation CD of songs I made a while ago, all of which remind me of Prue or had some meaning for us. Is it ok with you guys if I put it on?"

"Of course Andy. Despite everything that has happened I truly believe that a part of Prue has always and will always love you regardless. You are as important here as we are right now so whatever you think might help."

Andy pressed play and the music began to drift around the room. As the music began he knew he was going to have to tell Piper and Phoebe about his marriage. When he had gotten home, a fellow officer from the station had left a message on his answer phone to let him know that someone had been asking around about him, pulling his files, and even his divorce papers and transcripts from the courts. Someone had been doing a thorough background check on him and he would bet his last time that it was down to Roger. As the song played out he began to tell the sisters the same story he had told Morris not so long ago, although this time was certainly easier than the last.

_These arms of mine_

_They are lonely_

_Lonely and feeling blue_

_These arms of mine_

_They are yearning_

_Yearning from wanting you_

_And if you_

_Would let them_

_Hold you Oh how grateful I will be_

_These arms of mine_

_They are burning_

_Burning from wanting you_

_These arms of mine_

_They are wanting_

_Wanting to hold you_

_And if you_

_Would let them hold you_

_Ohh how grateful I will be_

_Come on, come on baby_

_Just be my little woman yeah_

_Just be my lover I need somebody,_

_Somebody To treat me right_

_Ohh I need your warm loving arms to hold me tight_

_And I need you tender lips too_

_Hold me, hold me_

As the song finished and a new one began the sisters sat and listened as Andy poured his heart out about his failed marriage and love for their sister. If only she knew they thought to themselves, maybe we wouldn't be in this mess now.

Roger was getting angrier by the minute. Trudeau had obviously briefed these officers before hand about the questions to ask and they were starting to get to him. "NO I DID NOT DO ANYTHING TO CAUSE THE ACCIDENT" he shouted, losing his temper momentarily. "I'm sorry for shouting officers but I would never do anything to hurt my fiancée. I love her more than anything. I told you what happened, it was an accident, nothing more."

The officers stood with fixed expressions, writing every word down as Roger said it. They were secretly hoping that he would trip himself up somewhere along the line but apart from his little outburst just now, he had kept remarkably calm throughout the whole interview. Now was going to be the real test for him – they were about to tell him about the restraining order.

"Ok then Sir. You are free to go at this time but I must tell you, you will not be able to visit your fiancée for the foreseeable future" Officer Davies said, bracing himself for the onslaught that was no doubt on it's way.

Roger blinked twice, unsure he had heard correctly. He spoke before thinking and his temper was in full force "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN I CANNOT SEE MY FINACEE. SHE IS IN INTENSIVE CARE WITH LIFE THREATENING INJURIES AND I AM NOT ALLOWED TO SEE MY FUTURE WIFE?" he asked incredulously.

"I'm sorry Sir," Officer Davies replied, "a restraining order has been signed by a judge preventing you from contacting Miss Halliwell or her sisters until further notice."

"On what grounds could that possibly have been awarded and so quickly as well?" he asked, totally stunned at what was happening.

"It was granted based on the findings of the medical staff when they examined Miss Halliwell when she arrived. I am unaware of the particulars but it was felt many of the injuries had not been caused by the accident but before hand and as a precaution, her sisters requested the restraining order. You may not go near any of the Halliwell sisters, the intensive care unit for the duration of Miss Prudence Halliwell's stay and also the family home on Prescott Street. Should this be violated in ANY way, Sir, you will be behind bars. Now, we have your information, so we will be in contact when we have further information or further questions for you. Good day Mr Davenport."

After both officers had departed, Roger seethed and cursed. 'How could those bitches do this?' The answer came instantaneously 'Trudeau'. Obviously the sisters were trusting of him. He knew he was now going to have to rethink everything. Hopefully he would be able to find a way to turn this to his advantage he thought.

With that in mind, he picked up his belongings and made his way out of the hospital and flagged down a cab. Giving his address, he pulled out his cell phone and checked to make sure it hadn't been damaged at all in the crash. Checking his speed dial, he selected the number he wanted and pressed call. "Mr Turner. I need to see you at my house in 30 minutes. No bull, get your butt there this is important" he said, and without waiting for a reply he hung up the phone and settled back into the seat for the remained of the journey home.


	23. A Trip Down Memory Lane

Chapter 23

Piper and Phoebe had gone home to freshen up and to try and get some sleep. They had sat for an hour while Andy had told them about his past, and they could feel his shame at the way he had acted towards his now ex-wife. They could also feel his passion when he talked about he had never stopped loving their sister.

By the end of the story, after they had reassured him that all that mattered was that he loved her, they had been so exhausted that Andy had convinced them that they would be no use to Prue in that state. Morris had left shortly afterwards to set up some surveillance detail on Roger and to keep a check on how the investigation was going. Andy was left, sitting alongside Prue's bed whilst music played in the background.

Every time a new song came on, Andy couldn't help but smile through the tears in his eyes. He had thought himself mad when he had originally made the CD, but right at this moment, he had never been more glad of doing something in his life. All the songs had a connection to Prue – at least for him. As the song changed, his eyes darted to the CD player. He had forgotten he had put this song on here.

I'm so tired of being here

Suppressed by all my childish fears

And if you have to leave

I wish that you would just leave

Cause your presence still lingers here

And it won't leave me alone

These wounds won't seem to heal

This pain is just too real

There's just too much that time can not erase

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears

When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears

And I held your hand through all of these years

But you still have all of me

You used to captivate me by your resonating light

Now I'm bound by the life you left behind

Your face it haunts my once pleasant dreams

Your voice it chased away all the sanity in me

These wounds won't seem to heal

This pain is just too real

There's just too much that time can not erase

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears

When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears

And I held your hand through all of these years

But you still have all of me

I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone

But though you're still with me

I've been alone all along

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears

When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears

I held your hand through all of these years

But you still have all of me

He had thought it so appropriate when he had heard on the radio a few years ago. It was just after his divorce when his thoughts were completely filled with Prue, when he heard it for the first time. He had been going home after another long, hard day and as usual flicking through the radio stations for something good to listen to when the haunting melody had stopped him in him mid-flick.

As soon as it had finished, he had rung up the radio station to find out the artist. The next day, he went straight to the nearest store and bought the CD by Evanescence. Whilst the majority of the album wasn't his kind of thing, it was worth it for that one song.

It evoked memories of Prue from when they were in high school. He had been her sanctuary in those days – sanctuary from arguments with her Grams, sanctuary from her responsibilities to her younger sisters. Countless times he had held her as she cried when the pressure of her home life simply got to be too much.

He would hold her tightly to him as she told him how scared she was at having such a huge responsibility, and how she also secretly feared that her life would be ruined because of that responsibility.

He had told her time and time again that no matter what was put in her path she was going to be able to achieve whatever she wanted simply because she wanted too. He had had no doubt about it then and he had no doubt it was still the case now – if only Roger wasn't in the picture.

Sitting at her bedside now, holding her hand and occasionally stroking her hair, Andy turned his mind to the more recent past. He had trouble reconciling what he knew about Prue now, to the Prue he knew way back when. Was it really possible for people to change that much? For their personality to undergo such an about turn that someone would turn from being strong and wilful to a textbook victim?

He was no psychologist but he could guess that such a transformation would be based on a number of things not just one, i.e. Roger. As much as he wanted it to be all down to the scumbag, he knew deep down that there would be other, underlying factors to attribute to the changes in Prue.

That wasn't to say that Roger wasn't wholly responsible for the victimisation of Prue. He had changed her into the person who wouldn't confide in her sisters, who put up with month, years maybe of systematic abuse.

Andy could only guess at the mental state Prue was in when Roger first met her but it couldn't have been good. He made a mental note to ask the sisters how they had met and when. It may hold a key to the relationship.

His mind relived recent conversations and he still had trouble processing some of the things Piper and Phoebe had told him about Prue. He couldn't believe, for a start, that she hadn't dated anyone between himself in high school and then Roger. How was that possible? They had said that she had been asked out a few times but always said no and eventually guys stopped asking.

That would certainly account for college, but what about afterwards? How could it be no-one else had seen what he saw now, even through all the cuts, bruises and tubes? She was clearly one of the most beautiful women around.

His heart ached as he looked at her closely. He could see faint marks on her skin – old injuries from Roger no doubt. He had spoken more with the doctor when the sisters had first come in to see Prue and he had told him the true extent of Prue's old injuries. They were even more extensive than any of them had believed. Evidence of old fractures in x-rays, scars across her abdomen, chest and inner thighs revealed when all the blood and been cleaned off. Far more than was detailed in ANY medical report of Prue's in the hospital.

Taking a deep breath, he brushed a strand of hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear the way she always used to. "Well this is a fine mess isn't it Prue. I should have known your driving would get you into trouble one day, but I always thought it would be a speeding ticket," laughing slightly to himself. He had to make light of it or he would be unable to carry on talking. 'Ok Andy, change the subject man, talk about the past or something' he mentally told himself.

"Do you remember when you were learning to drive? You were such a perfectionist. Not just about driving of course, but that I remember in particular. You studied that book your grandmother bought you for hours on end. She had told you she wouldn't let you get behind the wheel of a car until you could practically recite the whole book. I guess she thought it would keep you under her control a little longer but she hadn't counted on your sheer determination."

"My God, I remember the look on her face when you challenged her to ask you any question, about any chapter or section in the book. You sat there for 4 hours, answering every single possible question she could come up with, without batting an eyelid. She was totally gob smacked. The best bit was though, at the end of it, you didn't gloat you simply asked when you could have your first lesson."

"I guess that was the day your Grams learnt never to underestimate you huh? You were so pleased. I remember when we out that night, you were giddy like a little kid on too much candy. Your excitement was catching cos after we had been to the movies like we had planned, we went to our swing and made some excitement of our own. Do you remember Prue?" he asked, hoping for a reply but knowing he wouldn't get one.

So he carried on talking. "I don't know about you, but when I finally got home that night, I couldn't sleep. My mind was filled with images of you. Half naked images of you I should say. You had been so happy that night that it was the beautiful you ever looked. You had endured so much back then and it was always reflected in your eyes but not that night. That night was all about happiness and us being together completely. Lying in bed, I could smell your perfume on me. It was the one Piper bought you for your birthday I think. Whenever I thought of you that was always the smell I associated with you. I must remember to ask Piper what it was so I can get you some as a get well present. Would you like that Prue? Would you? Come on Prue. Please just answer me. Say anything…OK I know that is stupid since you have a tube stuck down your throat but squeeze my hand. Pinch my hand. Anything, please baby. I just need you to wake up and tell me what happened so we can make sure that monster pays for everything he has done to you. I love you Prue. More than you will ever know. And your sisters love you too. You need to wake up for all of us. Please sweetie, please." He rested his head on their combined hands, and drifted off to sleep as tears fell down his cheeks and his whispers of 'please' continued unabated.


	24. Anger and Betrayal

Chapter 24

When Piper and Phoebe opened the door to their sisters' room, they were touched by the scene in front of them. Their sister was still unconscious but next to her was Andy fast asleep. He had obviously moved the chair as close to the bed as possible at some point, and he was now dozing with his hands clasped around one of Prue's and his head lying alongside.

As sweet as it was, it also looked incredibly uncomfortable for Andy. As Piper moved to change the CD playing in the room, Phoebe moved over to Andy and gently shook his shoulder until he stirred.

"Hey, what time is it?" he asked, glancing around the room.

"Just after 9am. How long have you been sleeping like that? It looks incredibly uncomfortable?" Phoebe asked.

"Oh I must have fallen asleep around 5am I guess. At least that is the last time I remember checking the time. How are you both today? Manage any sleep yourselves?"

"Oh you know, a little" Piper replied. "It took me a while to finally drop off. My mind was just racing with images. I still cannot comprehend everything that has happened. I guess maybe I am still in shock. I mean, how can the strongest person I have ever known end up here, under these circumstances? None of it makes sense to me – at least not yet. I just hope and pray that when Prue wakes up she can provide us with the answers we all need." Piper said as she moved to sit on the other side of Prue's bed.

"Believe me, Pipe, it's a natural feeling in these situations believe me. I have seen enough of these types of cases, or read about them, to know that many of the victims nearest and dearest are surprised when the truth comes out. I know it's not much at this point, but just be grateful that Prue is still alive and that she will be able to give us those answers at some point. Not everyone has that closure." Andy said, finding no comfort in the words he was speaking, but hoping above hope that they would.

"Can……can I ask you a question Andy?" Phoebe asked, hesitantly.

"Of course. You can ask me anything. What is it Phoebe?"

"Well, I was kinda wondering, in these cases, in your experience……well, is it at all common, in any way, shape or form, for family or friends to feel……well angry?"

Andy had known what was coming from the way Phoebe had hesitated. She may have grown up a lot since he had been close to the family but he could tell she was still completely straight forward and straight talking. He also knew how guilty Phoebe must be feeling for even thinking the question, never mind experiencing that kind of emotion considering the circumstances.

"The simple answer is yes. It is very common to feel anger towards the victim. And that anger can be for so many reasons. Anger at them for keeping it a secret, for getting into that situation to begin with, anger for letting it get so far, for feeling that they couldn't tell anyone, for feeling like they deserved it. There are so many reasons people feel angry and they have every right to. From everything I have read on the subject, it is a healthy and valid reaction when you find out that someone you thought you knew everything about is suddenly revealed to be someone completely different."

As Andy had spoken, Piper had moved to Phoebe's side, taken her in her arms and hugged her. "It's ok sweetie. I feel it too ya know? I know it feels wrong considering Prue's lying here in a hospital bed unconscious, and that she's been through goodness knows what else, but I'm angry with her for not telling us, for not telling me. I always thought we were best friends as well as sisters. For her to have hidden something so huge from us, well, my initial thought was why didn't she trust us? And my second thought was how dare she not?"

Piper looked across at Prue lying in the bed, and felt the tears again. She couldn't help it. She felt so angry and then so guilty all at once. The conflicting emotions were raging inside of her and she didn't know how to let them out or how to deal with them. She knew she would have to eventually, but right now she had so much else to think about, to worry about. 'If only I could get my hands on Roger' she thought to herself. He had so much to answer for and yet unless Prue told them everything when she woke up, he wouldn't answer for any of it.

Andy followed Piper's line of sight and looked at the woman in the bed again. He knew exactly what Piper was thinking because he was thinking it too. He had not lied when he had told them that most people experienced anger. He was experiencing it too and he had not been close to Prue for years, even though he was still in love with her. He was angry with Prue. Angry that she could demean herself in any way and angry that she could allow herself to be treated with such contempt and disrespect when she was so loved by others.

As the three people sat in their respective seats, lost in their own thoughts and trying to dissect their own feelings on the matter, outside the hospital room, Prue's doctor was in conference with someone else.

"If you could run some of your tests, check over the case file and then report your findings to the family I would be incredibly grateful Leo" Doctor Bane Jessop said.

"Of course I will Bane, but tell me…what is so special about this case that you would pull me here from New York? You have several specialists closer who could run these tests. Why call in your favour and ask for me?" Dr Leo Wyatt responded, curious to know why his old friend was going to such lengths for this patient.

"It's not what you think mate I assure you. I have no personal connection to the patient or any member of her family that I am aware of. It's just, well, since speaking to the Detectives in charge of the case, one of whom is totally in love with the patient, and hearing exactly what they think this woman has been through…it just made me want to do everything to help. You should see her Leo, the marks all over her body, the scars she has which indicate years of systematic abuse. And what's worse is that her family knew nothing of what was going on. This woman suffered through God knows what alone, and I just want to do everything I can to ensure a happy ending for her and her family. Is that such a bad thing?"

Leo could tell from the look on his friend's face that this case had really gotten to him and just from what Bane had told him, he could tell it was probably going to get to him too. "OK. I'll see what I can do, but I am not promising anything you understand? I will keep you up to date and let you know when I have completed my preliminary tests."

"Thank you. This is going to mean so much to the family, not that I have told them your credentials yet."

"In that case, please don't. I don't want them to get their hopes up just in case. Just let's have them think I am a run of the mill specialist okay?"

"Okay, but just so you know Leo, you could never be a run of the mill specialist. You're too brilliant for that!" Bane said, smiling broadly at his friend.

"Thanks for that mate!"

As Bane turned to go back to the Emergency Room, he took one last look at the young lady lying in the hospital bed, with her sisters and friend sat nearby. He hoped above all else that Leo would be able to do something and give them some positive news, because they certainly needed it right now.

Leo took a brief look through the medical report that Bane had handed him and then knocked on the door, entering quietly.

"Excuse me. I am Dr Leo Wyatt, a specialist in brain and spinal injury. Your sister's doctor has asked me to look at her case, and run some specialist tests to see if we can find out a little more about the injuries and any possible prognosis."

Piper was the first to react. "Thank you Dr Wyatt. We would be grateful for any information you could glean. I am her sister Piper, this is my sister Phoebe, and over there is a family friend Inspector Andy Trudeau who is also working the case." Piper said, reaching out to shake the doctor's hand.

"Pleased to meet you. I will certainly see what I can do for you and your sister but I should tell you now – these tests may or may not give us good news. I really couldn't tell you at this point. I just want you all to be aware that any information we get back could be either good or bad."

"We understand doctor. Thank you. Will you start these tests straight away? Do you need us to leave?" Phoebe asked, anxious for the doctor to start his work so they could get some answers.

"As soon as I have everything prepared I will start the tests. They can take quite a while depending on many variables so it would probably be best if you went home, did whatever you might need to and let us get on with them. As soon as I have any news we will contact you I promise."

Realising that they should probably go take car of a few things that they had let slide, and that Andy could certainly do with a rest, change of clothes, and to catch up on the case, the sisters quickly agreed.

They both moved closer to Prue and gently kissed her forehead, squeezing a hand each. "Sweetie, we are going to leave you in the doctor's capable hands while we go and run a few errands. We won't be far away and as soon we can, we will come back ok? I promise you we're not leaving for long and we will be back." Piper said, her voice cracking at the thought of no-one familiar being there should Prue wake up.

The doctor knew exactly what she was thinking, and quickly acted to reassure her. "It's ok Miss Halliwell. From her case notes, I don't believe she will be waking up within the time it takes to complete these tests. There have been none of the usual indications of consciousness returning yet" he said with a small smile.

Piper returned the smile through her tears and simply said "Thank you."

As the sisters left, they squeezed Andy's shoulder and asked him to keep them up to date with any news he may get. After they had gone, Andy turned to the doctor and asked for a few minutes to say goodbye before he left.

Realising that this was the policeman Bane had told him about, Leo hurried off to prepare everything he would need, and left Andy to say goodbye.

"Prue, honey, I know you can hear me and I know you heard everything that was just said so you will understand why we are going right now. But don't worry, as soon as we get the call from Dr Wyatt, we will all be back and hopefully we will have some good news. I am going to go and check on the case, see if we have any more leads or any more information. Just remember that you are never far from my thoughts and prayers and that I love you" Andy said, wiping the tears from his cheeks.

Andy gathered his jacket, kissed Prue's forehead once more, and quickly left the room, determined not to look back. He felt that if he did, he wouldn't leave and right now Prue needed for him to leave. As he made it out into the parking lot, he opened his car, sat inside and then pulled out his cell phone. Turning it on he quickly checked for messages and then dialled his partners number. Darryl picked up on the second ring.

"It's Andy. A specialist is going to be carrying out tests for the next few hours so we have been sent home. I am going to get a shower and change of clothes and then I'll be at the station. Any news?" Andy asked.

"Not much. Davenport contacted us to see if there was any news on Prue. The hospital will not release that information because of the restraining order. He is staying with his parents over in Richmond, which we had the local police confirm as well as his parents. They have been fully appraised of the situation and the fact that the only reason their son has not been arrested is because we are waiting for Prue to wake up."

"What was their reaction? What was that scumbag told about her condition?" Andy asked.

"He was only told that there was no change and we could not release specific information. As for the parents, well they were naturally stunned. Full of praise for their son, how he couldn't possibly have done such a thing, how he loved his fiancée completely. All the usual stuff you would expect from a parent I guess."

"Yeah I bet. No-one wants to believed they raised a psychopath I guess. Any other news?"

"I will update you on everything else when you get here partner. Just go home, shower, change, eat and then come in. I will be in the station ok?"

"Yeah thanks Morris. I'll see you in a while" Andy finished the call and started the car. The next few hours were going to pass slowly until he could get back to the hospital. He knew that the news may not necessarily be good, but he had to hope. What else could he do he thought as he headed home.

Roger was lying in his childhood bed as Prue underwent tests. He could hear his parents having a 'discussion' downstairs about whether or not he was guilty. They may have expressed shock and support to the police but he knew that in reality, they were not so sure about him.

He let his mind drift back to his conversation with Cole Turner before he left. He had told him in no uncertain terms that he was to find his favourite hooker Debbie, and with the very generous payment he gave him, the two of them were supposed to go somewhere remote and quiet until he contacted them. He wanted to make sure there was no-one around who knew anything at all about his real self.

Turner had been uncertain at first. The man was finally showing a human side. Apparently he had seen coverage on the news of what had happened to Prue, and he was feeling guilty. Roger knew though, that the large sum of money he had given him would ensure his silence regardless.

He also knew that Debbie would keep her mouth shut about their rendezvous should she ever get questioned. He had asked Turner to take her with him to make sure that was not possible, because whether she denied it or not, he did not want the question being asked, for fear of what it could do to his reputation.

As he closed his eyes and allowed sleep to overcome him, he allowed himself a small smile. By this time tomorrow he would home and dry. Sure he would miss the position he had in society and the lucrative job, but as far as he was concerned it was better than spending years in prison. As soon as he had found out about the restraining order, he knew the game was up. They were obviously only waiting for Prue to wake up, or for some physical evidence to materialise before they arrested him. He was a little pissed with himself for being careless but there was nothing he could do about that now. As he drifted off to sleep, the last picture in his mind was of Prue, lying naked and blood stained on the bed – and he smiled.


	25. Blast from the Past

Chapter 25

Feeling slightly refreshed, Andy pulled into his usual parking bay at the station and quickly locked his car and went on in, hoping for more information on the case. He knew Morris had assigned officers to check out Roger's story about the night of the accident. He wondered if there was anything back from that line of enquiry that could possibly help them.

As he walked through the station, he was aware of people looking at him. He should have guessed that word would have gotten around by now and that the station would be buzzing with gossip and innuendo. He was used to that after what had happened between him and Susan and hadn't let it bother him then. Now though it was, and he knew it was because it involved Prue. Yet another example of the difference between his feelings for his then wife and his high school sweetheart, he said to himself.

Finding Morris pouring over a witness statement, Andy sat at his desk and checked for any messages whilst he waited for Morris to finish reading. Although he was anxious for any news he knew that bugging his partner was not that way to get what he wanted.

When Morris had finished reading, he put the statement down and turned to face his partner, who sat looking at him with an expectant look on his face. He knew Andy wasn't going to want to hear what he had to tell him but he had no choice. He would rather his friend heard it from him and not someone else in the station.

He was all too aware of some of the stories that had been circulating regarding Andy and this case. They ranged from the ridiculous – that Andy and Prue had a secret love child whilst together in high school which is why he was doing everything he could to help her – to the near miss – that Andy and Prue were still in love and had been having an affair behind her fiancé's back. At least with the latter they were almost close. Andy was still in love with Prue but he wasn't sure she felt the same. After all she was engaged to someone else and hadn't seen Andy in years before this mess.

Collecting his thoughts and bringing them back to the statements he had just been reading through he began to speak to his partner.

"I know you're desperate for any information we may have uncovered about the night of the accident so I will cut straight to the chase. The officers spoke to everyone who was working in the restaurant that night, and also collected a list of all those people who were dining there around the same time as Prue and Roger. They are in the middle of questioning them but I can tell you the list reads like a who's who of San Francisco high society."

"The waiter who served them and the maitre d' both gave a similar version of events. They arrived on time for their table and greeted several diners sat nearby. Throughout the meal they were affectionate with each other, holding hands and smiling and laughing. The waiter mentioned that he thought there was a bit of a tense moment during the evening but it soon passed and they were both back to their usual selves. He had no idea what it was about."

"According to the waiter, Prue ordered her own food, which by all accounts was very unusual as Roger usually did the ordering. However, Roger did order all of Prue's drinks. By the end of the night Prue had apparently had 6 double vodka and tonics, which was also unusual as Roger was always the one to drink and Prue the one to drive."

"None of this really gives us much but there was more and I'm sorry buddy, but you aren't going to like this. Apparently after paying the bill and leaving, Roger decided to make a little announcement to their friends who were dining that night. Roger announced that they had finally set a wedding date and that their friends could expect invitations through the post and that the date was 4 months away. According to staff, everyone was happy for them cheering and such and that Prue herself looked radiantly happy. They thanked their friends and then left apparently."

Andy was stunned to say the least. A wedding date had been announced. Prue was actually going to go through with the wedding. Surely this must be a joke. But of course he knew it wasn't. Prue had been planning to marry Roger all along because she was completely under his control. She had been fooling so many people for so long who was to say that she wasn't fooling everyone in the restaurant that night at Roger's insistence.

Recovering from his silence, Andy turned his attention back to Morris and what needed to be done. "Ok well first thing we need to do is speak to the sisters and see if they know anything about the wedding date. After all, this whole thing could have been orchestrated by Roger and his little performance last night could simply have been a part of that."

"We also need the results of the blood alcohol tests that were done on both Prue and Roger and also we need to speak to someone about recreating the accident. After speaking to Piper and Phoebe in the hospital since it happened, I don't believe that Prue was really driving, at least not for the whole journey. Her sisters may not have known what was going on with Roger but they know enough about their sister to know how she feels about something like drink driving. Apparently it was one of the lessons she instilled in both her sisters when they started learning to driving and she was quite out spoken about it."

Morris was slightly surprised about Andy was taken the news about the wedding date revelation. If he was really ok about that it meant one of two things – either Andy really believed it was part of an elaborate set-up and Prue was just going along to avoid another beating – or Andy had buried his feelings and given up hope of reconciliation. Morris believed the former rather than the latter as he still saw that haunted, lovelorn look in Andy's eyes.

"Ok well I have just spoken to Piper and said we would be coming over as soon as you got here and I had brought you up to speed. Apparently they have come up with something but they didn't want to stay too much over the phone"

"Let's go then. When we get back to the hospital later I will track down the blood results. Let's see what the girls have for us first"

Phoebe made her way down the stairs carrying another box load of Prue's things. On the way back from the hospital, Piper had struck upon an idea. Growing up, Prue had always kept diaries and journals. Over the years she had kept up the habit and Piper knew that the majority of her old ones were kept in the attic as Roger complained he didn't have enough room in their house for all of Prue's old things.

Piper was hoping that some of the journals stored there would have some references to Roger. She knew deep down it was a long shot but she had to try. They were now on the 4th box of Prue's things and had already come across about 30 old diaries.

Piper and Phoebe had skimmed through these to establish when they were written. As much as they knew it would be interesting to read some of the entries and find out more about their sister, they also wanted to respect her privacy as much as was possible whilst going through her things.

Many of the journals so far had been written as a teenager and throughout high school, with the most recent one being her first year in college. In the high school entries, they had seen some references to Andy but had not read any further. Whilst they had lived through that particular romance, they didn't know all the details of what had gone on, nor did they want to. They knew how devastated Prue had really been when things had ended, even though she had tried to pretend differently. They now had no wish to read how bad it had been.

Phoebe placed the new box in front of them on the table and they each reached in to being the search again. Whilst Phoebe had been upstairs, Piper had brought in more tea and they each settled themselves down to continue the search.

The box was full of photographs, cards and letters. Hesitantly, each sister took up a pile of letters and began skimming through them to find out when they were written and who by. Many of the letters turned out to be love letters from Andy to Prue when they had been dating. Another pile was letters from high school friends who had gone off to college and kept in touch with Prue. Finally, there was a pile which was in Prue's own hand writing.

Both Piper and Phoebe recognised the writing straight away, and moved to sit closer so they could both see the first letter in the pile.

_"Dear Andy, It's been 2 weeks now since you left for college and I am going crazy without you. I am so sorry for saying I thought we should stop seeing each other. I didn't want us to break up. I can't imagine my life without you in it and I love you so much. I know that things have been strained between us for months now. And I know that that is my fault. I didn't explain myself properly that night we argued and I should have done. I should have given you more credit and realised that you would have understood. After all you have always understood, one way or another, and you have always been so amazingly supportive of me. I'm sorry. Please forgive me Andy. I can't be without you. All my love as always, Prue xx"_

Piper and Phoebe were stunned. Why was this letter amongst Prue's things? Why didn't Andy have it? Turning the envelope over they found their answer – because Prue had never sent it. As Piper opened her mouth to speak, the doorbell rang and both sisters knew it would be Andy and Morris. Dropping the letter onto the table, they both moved to the front door.

As the door opened, Andy looked up from staring at his shoes and greeted the sisters. Opening the door further for both men to enter, Piper led them back to the dining room where they had been working, offering refreshments on the way, momentarily forgetting that the letter still lay open on the table.

Pulling up a chair as Piper went to get more tea, Andy looked around the items strewn about the table. His eyes fell on a photo that had fallen out of the box and he reached out to pick it up. His fingers shook as he looked at it clearly and realised what it was. Him and Prue. At the Prom. As he looked at it more closely he realised that he had memorised every single detail of they way Prue had looked that night. He didn't need the photo to tell him the colour of her dress, the earrings she had worn, the corsage he had bought her or the way she had worn her hair – it was imprinted on his brain.

Setting it to the side, Andy took a closer look at everything else sitting on the table. His eyes finally fell on the letter and seeing his name, he picked it up and began reading. Phoebe was busy talking to Morris and hadn't noticed what Andy had found.

As Piper walked into the room with the tea, she almost dropped the tray when she saw Andy with the letter in hand. She had wanted to prepare him some way for what they had found, not for him to stumble across it with no warning.

Looking up at Piper, Phoebe and his partner, he directed his question to Piper. "What is this Piper? Where did all this stuff come from?"

"God, Andy I'm sorry I wanted to tell you before you saw it all. On the way home from the hospital I remembered that Prue always kept journals growing up and that all her old ones are stored here in the attic. I thought we might find some of the more recent ones and see if there is anything in there which could be used against Roger."

"We were just looking through this box when you arrived. I think this must be her box of stuff from when you guys were together. There are some letters I think you wrote to her when you were together, loads of pictures and mementos from places and then a pile of letters like the one in your hand. That is the only we looked at but there are a huge pile of them there." Piper explained, wondering what Andy was thinking having read the letter.

"Um, could you guys give me a few minutes? I need some time to, uh, you know, uh…" Andy couldn't even finish his sentence he was so stunned.

"Yes, of course. We'll be in the kitchen if you need us." Phoebe said, as the 3 of them headed out to the kitchen, leaving Andy surrounded by memories and surprises.

Picking up the next letter, Andy braced himself for what was to come.


	26. Letters Unsent

Chapter 26

_Dear Andy, It's been 3 weeks since you left San Francisco and I still miss you. It feels like my heart has been ripped out of my chest. I don't know why I'm writing this letter because like the last, I won't send it. Apart from the fact that I have nowhere to send it to, I'm sure by now you are enjoying college and have forgotten all about me. Or maybe not. Maybe I am underestimating you again, I'm not really sure. I'm not really sure of anything at the moment._

_I enrolled at college and got my time table sorted but I just don't have any interest in the whole thing. Between trying to get ready for lectures, getting Piper and Phoebe ready for school and taking Grams to her doctor's appointments, I don't know whether I am coming or going. I know I shouldn't complain. Grams has done so much for us and my sisters are trying their best to become more independent it's just it's a lot of responsibility and I am constantly wondering if I am up to it. I am constantly worries that I am going to let someone down, whether it be Grams, my sisters, myself or even you. And you're not even in my life anymore._

_I have to go now. It is 3am and I have to run the girls to school first thing before going to college. I hope you are enjoying yourself wherever you are, and that you sometimes think of me._

_All my love as always_

_Prue xx _

Andy was stunned. Did she honestly think he had forgotten her within 3 weeks of leaving? 'If she had really wanted me to read the letters then she would have asked my parents for an address surely?' he thought to himself. 'But then maybe she didn't think you would want to hear from her' he thought to himself.

Andy was in two minds whether to continue reading the letters or not. Did he really want to find out the pain he had left behind when he had gone off to college? Did he really want to know how much Prue had missed him when he damn well knew he had missed her so much it hurt. But then he thought back to the reasons Phoebe and Piper had been going through Prue's things. There might be clues in these letters as to what happened to change Prue so much. Picking up the next letter he braced himself for the inevitable onslaught of emotions.

_Dear Andy, You should count yourself lucky you are not here right now. I'm pretty sure you'd be losing it right now. I'm in college and I am grounded. How ridiculous does that sound? Cos it sounds pretty stupid from my end. _

_Grams is so pissed at me and I don't blame her. I picked Phoebe up from school yesterday and on the way home we got into a car accident. Phoebe's side of the car was hit and she had been unconscious until this evening when thank goodness she woke up but she is going to be in the hospital for about a week just in case._

_The police officers explained to Grams that it wasn't my fault, that the other driver jumped a red light and was drunk but she still blamed me. She said I should have been more careful and should have been on the lookout for something like that. She actually accused me of not caring about Phoebe and Piper. _

_How cans he even think that? I love my sisters more than life. I sacrificed a normal childhood and school experience to take care of them, to make sure they were safe. How can she think I don't love them? I mean for God's sake I'm here aren't? I'm still in San Francisco, still living at home and still missing out on a social life to be here for them. I don't know how much I can cope with this, I really don't. The pressure is just too much. _

_If I thought dropping out of college and getting a job would help I would do it but you know Grams – she wants me to do well at college, be the best so that Piper and Phoebe have an example to follow. But what if I can't set that example? What if I fail at college? What if I fail my sisters or Grams? What if my Mom is watching me right now and all she feels is disappointment? I'm so scared right now – I don't know what the future holds but I know it doesn't include you and right now that hurts more than anything else. I still love you. Now more than ever._

_All my love as always_

_Prue xx_

Tears were gathering in Andy's eyes as he finished the letter. To know that she had been so conflicted and so consumed with doubts about her own capabilities left him with a deep sense of guilt. When they had been together he had always been the one to reassure her that whatever she did, she would succeed and that no matter what she did she could never let anyone down because they all loved her. But what hurt all the more was that she thought her own mother would be disappointed in her.

Andy knew that for Prue to be thinking about her mother, and for her to be thinking about how her mother would feel if she could see her now, meant that Prue was feeling shut off, lonely and abandoned. She had always strived to do her utmost for her family and for her own grandmother to blame her for something which wasn't her fault must have crushed her. When they had been together Prue had often told him how he was the only one she could confide in. That obviously hadn't changed when they had broken up and he had left, the only difference being she had no reassurance back because the letters never got sent.

Before reading the rest of the letters, Andy decided to bring Piper and Phoebe back in. He needed to ask them a few questions and he believed they needed to read the contents of the letters to allow them to better understand why Prue had done what she had done.

"Piper, Phoebe, Darryl? You guys can come back in now. I think you should see some of these." Andy shouted, knowing the others were only in the kitchen.

As the sisters walked into the dining room and took seats at the table, they looked around and could see that Andy had only read a few letters. "What is it Andy? Did you find something?" Piper asked, aware of the unshed tears in his eyes.

"Nothing so far relating to Roger but I think we may find some answers in these letters to why Prue would allow herself to fall into such a position. I'm warning you now, you are not going to like some of the things written in these letters. I have only read a few of them but they are very upsetting. It seems that maybe Prue has been hiding things for a lot longer than Roger has been on the scene."

"Do you both remember a car accident, shortly after Prue started college?" Andy asked.

"Yeah of course. Prue was driving me home from school and a drunk driver ran a light and hit us. I was in hospital for a few days but Prue only had slight concussion. Why? What does that have to do with anything?" Phoebe asked

"Bear with me for a minute. Do you remember how everyone around you reacted to the accident? How Prue herself reacted? Your grandmother even?"

"Well I know both were upset but it's not like it was Prue's fault or anything. They were both just really worried about Phoebe as she was out for quite a while. It took Prue a while before she would drive either of us anywhere after that but she got over it eventually. What's going on Andy?" Piper said.

"It would seem your grandmother did blame Prue. Here, read this." Andy said, passing them the letter.

By the time they had finished reading they too had unshed tears in their eyes. "Oh my God" Piper exclaimed. "How could Grams possibly have blamed Prue? How could she have placed so much guilt on her at such a young age? No wonder Prue didn't drive or leave the house for a month afterwards. I wondered why she only ever went to lectures and nowhere else, but I simply put it down to nerves about getting behind the wheel again, not being grounded."

"I can't believe Grams would do that to her? How could she after everything Prue had done? It's like…it's like…I don't know. It's almost as if Grams stopped treating Prue like a granddaughter. I mean, how could she treat us the way she did yet treat her so differently? I don't understand." Phoebe said, distraught at the fact her sister had been treated in such a manner. "Why would Grams lie to us about how she felt? Why didn't Prue tell us? What the hell else don't we know?" Phoebe asked, getting angrier by the minute.

"Calm down Phoebe. It looks like everyone has been kept in the dark. I doubt Prue told anyone, and Grams was doing what she always did – protecting us from everything." Piper said, not allowing her anger to take over the way Phoebe was.

"Andy. What do you make of this? I know there's a reason you wanted us to read this." Piper said, turning towards the man who these letters had been written too, but never sent.

"You're right Piper, there is a reason. As you know I have been reading up about domestic abuse on top of what we are told during cases. The one thing I have struggled to reconcile is the way I remember Prue and the Prue I met the other day. When Prue and I were together in high school, she was the most popular girl in school, everybody's friend. You know the type – head cheerleader, Student Body President, Homecoming Queen and Prom Queen."

"I'm sure you remember Piper. She was always saying how you hated being compared to her and she felt for you, she really did. She used to ask people to lay off you, to stop teasing and stuff because she felt bad for you. You were so uncomfortable in your own skin back then. But Prue was always talking about what a great sister you were, and how smart you were. And you Phoebe. Excuse me for saying but people were always spreading rumours about you and what you got up to and she was always defending you. But it wasn't just you guys she did that for – she would stand up for anyone who was being picked on because that was the kind of person she was."

"But now, from what I've seen and heard, it's like she's a totally different person. The Prue I knew back then would never have allowed a guy to do this to her. Somewhere along the line Prue changed and that is why we are where we are now. After we went to interview her at the museum when this all began, I have to admit I thought it was my fault. She told us that she had not dated anyone between me in high school and Roger. That's a long time for someone who I remember as being popular and enjoying dating."

"Andy…" Piper started, but was silenced when Andy raised his hand.

"Let me finish Piper. Having read only some of these letters, I am under no illusion that it is in some part my fault. We broke up over you guys essentially. I was being a typical teenager with one thing on my mind and your sister was struggling daily with the obligations placed upon her by your grandmother. I knew this and yet I still pushed and then complained when I didn't get my way. Whenever we argued it was because she was putting you before me, and now I am ashamed of that but at the time I didn't know any better."

"Your sister depended on me so much. I was the only thing she had which wasn't dictated or controlled by Grams. Time with me was her time to be herself, to act how she wanted to act and do what she wanted to do. Yet, she always felt guilty. She was always worried she wasn't doing enough for you. Grams was always hard on her, I knew that. But I never imagined it would get worse after I left."

"With no escape and no-one to talk to, I am guessing your sister was internalising everything. These letters indicate to me that she didn't talk to anyone about any of it. I was still her release with one very important difference…she was getting no reassurance or comfort back. I think between pressure from your grandmother, having no one to talk to, and the end of our relationship, Prue slowly changed into the person she was when she met Roger – a prime target for domestic abuse."

As everyone let the words sink in, Andy turned his attention back to the box still on the table and removed a photo from the pile. It was taken at their Prom. She looked so beautiful and they were looking into each other's eyes. So in love, that was what everyone had said about them. Who would have guessed they would have ended up where they were today?


	27. Some Answers

Chapter 27

Dr Leo Wyatt finished up the last test and added the results to everything else he had collated so far. He asked one of the nurses to page Bane so he could fill him in before calling the family back to the hospital. Whilst he waited for his friend to arrive, he carefully re-read the results of all the tests he had carried out, making sure he was correct in his prognosis.

As he read through the notes, his gaze wandered back to the woman lying in the hospital. He had been shocked when he had seen her fully – he had read the ER report and knew that she had cuts and bruises all over her body but nothing had prepared him for the extent of them. Studying them, he had found himself agreeing wholeheartedly with his colleague that some of the injuries had undoubtedly occurred before the accident and indicated abuse.

A small part of him understood why Bane had called in his favour for this case. Reading the background to the case had given him a feeling of empathy but having met her family and the man who was so obviously in love with her, and having seen the damage done to her he couldn't help but feel a personal reaction.

During the tests he had carried out, he couldn't help thinking that maybe, for her sake, it would be better if she never woke up, or if she at least woke with amnesia. To undergo such trauma, and supposedly at the hands of a man who proclaimed to love you, would be a tremendous issue to overcome. He had seen documentaries on domestic abuse and also read some research in his college days.

He knew that many people struggled to recover from such abuse for the rest of their lives. Some of them never did. A solid, loving family environment would certainly help and he was pretty certain she had that after meeting the sisters. However, he also knew that that would not be enough. In the end it was going to be down to the woman lying beaten and broken on the bed in front of him – and no-one could predict what would happen next.

Looking up as the door opened, he saw Bane enter the room. "Well? What can you tell me?" he asked, getting straight to business, anxious for any news.

"Well there is good news and bad news. I'll explain the good news first. She is going to wake up – I can tell you that with 98 certainty. The swelling has reduced significantly and fluid tests show this is continuing at a good rate. The pressure should have eased sufficiently in 48 to 72 hours. The spinal tests are less conclusive but nevertheless the news is good. Again the swelling is down but at the moment it has slowed. I'm not too worried about that now as it is common in some patients. From what I can tell of the spinal chord despite the swelling that remains is that it appears to be undamaged, with the exception slight bruising which should disappear once all the swelling is gone and recovery has begun."

"That's excellent. I thought you said there was some bad news?" Bane asked, pleased with what he had been told so far.

"There is. Unfortunately, the area of her brain which received the most swelling and took the greatest pressure, deals with her long and short term memory. The tests showed a 75 chance that she would suffer from full amnesia when she does wake up." Leo finished, disappointed that he had to convey such news.

"Damn it!" Bane exclaimed loudly. "I'm pretty sure the police are relying on Prue to testify against her fiancé in court. I don't think they have any evidence right now" he said, frustrated at what was happening.

"Listen, Bane I understand that this woman's case tugs at the heart strings – hell even I had a personal reaction to the case, but you are being pretty extreme in this. What's going on?" Leo asked.

"I can't explain it. Ever since she came into the ER I have felt some kind of connection to her but couldn't understand what it was. Whilst I was waiting for you to complete the tests a thought came to me. I popped home and found what I was looking for." Bane said, still having a hard time believing the sheer coincidence of the situation.

"I went to college with her. When I found the pictures I was looking for, it suddenly made sense to me why I would have such a reaction. She was something of an unknown in college. Didn't live on campus, didn't socialise, didn't participate unless forced to in class. It was like she was one of the geeks, or shy kids. Every guy who had ever seen her though tried to date her. She was so beautiful, incredibly sexy but also intelligent as well as being totally mysterious. She was the biggest challenge to all the frat guys and she didn't want to know."

"OK so you knew her in college. Big deal" Leo said, failing to understand how this could be affecting his friend in this way.

"The vulnerable woman you see lying in there right now is a shadow of what she was then but still, even back then, she had a haunted look in her eyes. There was something eating away at her and every time I looked into her eyes, it got to me."

"Are you going to tell her sisters that you knew her? If they are trying to figure out how all this came about like you said they were, then you might be able to tell them something. If you feel that strongly about the case, talk to them. I'll come with you if you like. That way I can explain the results to them myself." Leo offered.

"Yeah maybe you're right. Thanks mate" Bane replied, still thinking back to the woman he had been so captivated by in college.

As Roger silently made his way out of the house and into the moonlight, he allowed himself one glance backwards. Having waited hours for his parents to finish their discussions, once he was sure they were asleep he had immediately gathered his things and crept out of the house.

He now turned and walked away from the house, moving down the street to a car he had had delivered earlier that day. The car would be untraceable; he had made sure of that. Opening the trunk of the non-descript car he tossed in the bag of clothes he was taking and quickly got in and started the car.

Pulling away from the curb, he allowed himself one last look at the house and then returned his focus to the road ahead, ready for he journey ahead. He had everything planned and he was quite confident in that plan even if it had been thrown together in an emergency, He was determined he was not going to be arrested for what he had done – she had deserved it and he had had every right he told himself.

Reaching over to the glove box he removed the new cell phone that his contact had also arranged for him along with the new passport, credit cards and some currency to get him started. His funds had been transferred to accounts with new names, all transactions untraceable. As he pulled out onto the highway he was suddenly thankful that he had had cause to make connections with some of the more dubious members of San Francisco's society. If it hadn't been for those connections, Roger wouldn't be about to get away with his crimes.

As he raced down the highway, Roger made sure to keep to the speed limit. The last thing he needed to do was attract attention right now. Everything was going smoothly so far and he wasn't about to be the weak link in the chain that got himself caught. Smiling to himself, he reached over and switched on the radio, searching the airwaves for a song he might be able to sing along to. It wasn't something he usually did, but when things were going well for him, he always liked to indulge himself.

All four jumped when the phone rang and Andy's pager went off at the same time. As Piper got up to answer the house phone, Andy checked his pager to discover it was the hospital. He guessed that the phone call was from the same source.

"It's the hospital." He said to Morris and Phoebe. "They must have finished the tests."

The three walked out into the hallway as Piper replaced the handset. "That was the hospital. They have finished the tests and would like to talk to us about the results."

"What are we waiting for? Let's go." Phoebe said, grabbing her coat and handing Piper's to her. The five filed out of the house quickly, desperate to hear what the doctor had to say. The letters and pictures remained spread out across the dining room table, forgotten for the time being.

As they stopped at the reception desk to enquire as to where to find Dr Wyatt and Dr Jessup, Morris pulled Andy to one side.

"Hey mate, I'm going to leave you three to it. I have a few more things to chase up at the station and I think the three of you should talk to the Doctors alone. This should be private."

"OK thanks man. I'll get the girls to drop me back at the station when we're done here. Page me if you get anything ok?" Andy said, already moving in the direction the girls had taken.

Morris watched his partner move quickly down the hallway and turn the corner before he walked outside. Bringing out his cell phone, he quickly dialled the station.

"This is Inspector Morris. I want somebody to organise a search warrant for the Davenport house. I don't care what it takes just make it happen. We need to find something and I am hoping that somewhere in that house he has missed something that will incriminate him. I'll be back shortly so see what you can do, and I don't care who you have to wake up to do it." Darryl said, ending the call and moving towards the car park.


	28. Anger and Guilt

Chapter 28

"Please come in all of you" Leo said, as Piper, Phoebe and Andy appeared at the door to Prue's room. "Take a seat".

Piper and Phoebe took the seats nearest to Leo and Andy sat on the other side, near to Prue. All three were apprehensive to hear the news. They each looked at Prue lying in the bed and then turned their attention back to the doctor.

"Well I have concluded all the tests and I have discussed the results with Dr Jessup already" he said, indicating Bane with his head.

"There is both good news and bad news. Any preference as to which one first?" Leo asked.

They looked at each other and as if by silent agreement, Piper answered for them. "Good news first I think Doctor. It's about time we had some of that" she said, looking him straight in the eye.

"Please call me Leo," he said, offering Piper a reassuring smile.

"Well, the tests I carried out can tell us a few things about your sisters' condition. Firstly, I can tell you that the swelling on her brain and spine are reducing by themselves and this is an excellent sign. The swelling on the spine has reduced to an extent that we can see enough of the spinal chord to tell that there is no damage beyond bruising. This will ultimately disappear as any bruise would once recovery begins."

"So Prue won't be paralysed?" Phoebe asked, smiling properly for the first time since this nightmare began.

"No I don't believe she will. Her spinal chord looks to be in good shape despite the traumas it has suffered."

Piper and Phoebe exchanged relieved smiles whilst Andy simply let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding and silently offered up a prayer of thanks.

"As for the swelling of the brain, this has reduced although it has slowed down a little. At the moment this is nothing to be worried about and is very common. Healing too quickly can cause problems so a gradual improvement is good. I estimate that Prue should wake within the next 48 to 72 hours if things carry on as they are now. The swelling will be almost gone and there should be no reason for her to be unconscious at that point."

"That's excellent news" Andy exclaimed, relieved that soon Prue would be awake and they could finally get some answers.

"Yes it is Inspector Trudeau. However, I did say there was some bad news as well. I'm sorry to have to report this but my tests have shown that when Prue wakes up, there is only a 25 chance that she will have any memories. It is very possible that she will suffer from amnesia."

Silence spread throughout the room as the diagnosis sank in.

'Amnesia!' Piper couldn't believe it. 'To go through all of this and at the end not have any answers, for Prue not to know what she has been through. Ok so maybe that would be a good thing for Prue' Piper thought to herself.

Phoebe's smile disappeared and her eyes filled with tears. 'This can't be happening' she thought to herself. ' I need for Prue to remember. I need for her to tell us that Grams didn't put her through hell because of us. I need her to tell me everything is going to be ok' she thought desperately to herself.

Across the room, Andy's thoughts were following a similar route. 'Please God no. We need answers and she is the only one who can give them to us. Her sisters need to know how she could let things get this far. Hell, I need to know too. But I also need to know that this isn't somehow my fault.'

Leo and Bane exchanged a glance and immediately agreed that now was not the best time to let these people know about Bane's history with Prue. They had enough to deal with and this would only complicate matters and draw their focus away from what was really important right now – the woman lying in the bed, whose future no-one could guess at.

Standing up at the same time as his colleague Dr Wyatt looked at each of them in turn and then turned to walk out of the door. "I realise this is a lot for you to take in right now. Dr Jessup and I will be in his office when you have questions. Take your time, talk amongst yourselves and talk to Prue too. She can still hear you I assure you." With that said, both Doctors walked out the door and made their way to Bane's office. They would have a drink, a personal catch up conversation to relieve the tension and then they would discuss the best course of treatment for Prue.

Once the door had closed behind the retreating Doctors nobody moved a muscle. Rooted to their seats they were each stunned to the point where original thoughts had ceased creeping into their brains. The same things were on constant repeat for each of them.

'This can't be happening.' 'They must be wrong.' 'How can this be happening?' 'What if she doesn't remember me?' 'What if she can't tell us what happened?' 'What if she isn't the same person when she wakes up?'

Their thoughts mirrored each others but none of them realised this. They were each feeling the same emotions in equal measures. They sat there for nearly 30 minutes in stunned silence, each lost in their own world of pain. None of them wanting to voice what they were all thinking, yet knowing someone would have to say it first.

One by one, they each left their own thoughts and turned to look at Prue, lying silently in the bed in exactly the same position she had since she had arrived there. Looking at her lying there, each of them had their own feelings of resentment towards her. None of them wanted to voice them aloud, but they each felt them, and they each felt ashamed.

Desperate to break the silence, Phoebe moved closer to her sleeping sister. "Prue, honey? Come on now. You have been sleeping long enough. We need for you to wake up, remember everything and help us put that scum bag behind bars. I need you to wake up and tell me the truth. You're my big sister Prue. You are the one who was supposed to look after me – but you should have looked after yourself too. How could you think that by keeping all this to yourself, and allowing him to hurt you in this way would be for our best? How could you think that you being hurt would not hurt us? And what about the secrets Prue? I know I shouldn't be angry with you, but damn it I am. How could you not tell us? How could you keep such huge things from us? And I don't just mean Roger. I mean Grams too. Damnit Prue, you should have told me. You should have told us." Phoebe finished, breaking down into gut wrenching sobs as she let her anger pour out.

Piper moved next to her crying sister and put her arms around her. She had tears in her eyes and could feel her emotions boiling to the surface. With one arm around Phoebe she took Prue's hand in the other. "She's right Prue. What the hell gives you the right to keep secrets from your sisters? You and Grams both brought us up to not keep secrets from your family. Did you forget that lesson yourself? For God's sake Prue, this is hurting us 100 times more than if you had come to us at the beginning. We would never have thought any less of you – you practically raised us – we look up to you more than anyone. Did you never notice how we both tried to be like you? Everything you did and said influenced the way we lived our lives – we could never be disappointed in you, and we could never think bad of you. We love you Prue, but God knows you make it so bloody difficult sometimes." Piper finished, feeling as if a weight had been lifted from her.

The two conscious sisters hugged each other and waited for the tears to stop. When they did they both turned to look at Andy. He looked so lost, standing with his hands in his pockets, tears in his eyes and a hurt look across his features. They knew that this was hurting him almost as much as it was hurting them. And they also knew that he had some things to say which he would feel better for getting off his chest.

Piper let go of Phoebe and made her way over to him. "Andy. I know this is hard but trust me, you will feel much better if you just say it. Say whatever is hurting you and then you can focus on helping Prue. Until you do it is just going to eat away at you. We'll leave the room if you'd prefer. Or we can stay and give you support – your choice. But please Andy, let go of it now because once she wakes up, she is going to need you whether she realises it or not, and if you are carrying bottled up feelings and resentment you will not be able to help her the way you want to" Piper said, hoping he would let them help him.

"She's right Andy. Say whatever you want, no-one here is going to judge you after our little sermons. We know how much you still love her. Do what's best for you and for Prue. You know it's the only way Andy" Phoebe said, taking his hand and looking him straight in the eye.

"You're right. I need to do this for both our sakes. Please, stay. I need you guys to hear this too." Andy said, as he moved towards the bed, and took hold of Prue's hand.


	29. Home Truths

Chapter 29

Sitting down at the side of the bed, Andy took a moment to collect his thoughts and he could hear Piper and Phoebe move to the other side of the bed. Looking up he met their gazes and was grateful for the encouraging smile they both gave him. He then turned to look at Prue.

He used his other hand to gently brush some hair away from her forehead and let his hand linger down the side of her face relishing the feel of her skin. It had been far too long since had touched her in that way. Far too long since he had held her hand and felt her warmth. 'Warmth!' he thought. 'How could she be so warm when she was just lying there and had been for days. How could she be so warm when all the life had been beaten out of her?'

He abruptly shook his head to stop his wandering mind. He couldn't think about that now. He had to concentrate on all the things he needed to say to her. The things he needed her sisters to hear and believe.

Taking a deep breath, Andy looked at Prue and began. "First of all I want you to know how sorry I am. We found the journals Prue and I am truly sorry. Sorry for not staying, sorry for not being there for you and sorry for not understanding. But you weren't the only one who suffered Prue. I did too. Every moment I was away from you I wanted to be with you. Every time the phone rang I wanted it to be you, and every time the doorbell rang I opened the door hoping beyond hope that you were standing on the other side."

"That first year in college I must have picked up the phone at least twice a day to call you. On special days like your birthday, our anniversary, the anniversary of your mother's death, I must have picked up the phone about 20 times. Our separation was tearing me apart but I couldn't bring myself to finish dialling the number. Maybe a small part of me wanted to punish you, to punish you for putting your sisters before us and I know now that that was selfish but damn it Prue I was young – what the hell did I know?"

"I used to lie in bed at night wondering what you were doing, if you were seeing anyone, if your Grams was still being hard on you. You were all I thought about and certainly all I dreamed about. I sued to dream of us together doing simple things like going to a movie, or walking in the park, or even making out on our swing. I used to hear your laugh in my dreams and I would wake up haunted by your smell."

Tears steadily made their way down Andy's cheek and slowly dripped onto his hand covering Prue's. He had known once he started it would be hard to stop but he hadn't imagined it would feel so liberating to finally be able to say all of this to Prue – even if she was technically awake to hear it. He quickly glanced across at her sisters to find them holding hands and gently sobbing, and he could tell by the looks on their faces they were genuinely touched by what they were hearing.

"A few days after the dreams started I went out to the local drug store and bought everything you had used. Your shampoo, your deodorant, your perfume – you name it I bought it. My college room mate must have thought I was strange but I was oblivious at the time. I just needed something familiar around which would remind me of you and that was it. Don't get me wrong, I did have photos and mementos of you but they were too painful to look at all the time. I kept them hidden away in a box in my closet and they only ever came out when I was feeling really down. God I sound like girl!" he said, chuckling briefly and breaking the tension in the room.

"When I came home at Christmas I passed by your house most days, trying to get a glimpse of you. Only once did I see you. You were in your room and I stood across the street watching you for what felt like hours. You were sat in your big comfy chair, hair tied back in a ponytail, gasses on, cup of tea next to you and a book in your hands. For a while nothing happened and I was content just to look at you. But then I saw you put down your book and reach for your phone and all of a sudden your face lit up. Someone had obviously called and you looked so happy to hear from them. I assumed it was your boyfriend and I was gutted. I was pissed that you had moved on so quickly after everything we said we meant to each other and I had spent my first year of college missing you, so I left."

"Obviously now, after interviewing you the other week with Morris, I know that was not the case. God, if only I hadn't jumped to conclusions. If I hadn't thought that I may have come over to see you and we may have sorted things out. But I messed up again and now look who is paying for it."

He knew Piper and Phoebe were about to interrupt to say it wasn't his fault but he just kept going, knowing he couldn't stop now.

"But you know what Prue? This isn't only partly my fault. You have to accept the majority of the blame and your Grams should be held accountable for the rest. I know she was hard on you and I know you were given far too much responsibility at such a young age. But you never stood up to her Prue! You! The one person I always knew who would stand up to bullies, teachers, even police officers if I remember correctly, but never to your Grams. All because she would always bring your mother into it. I know you missed your mother desperately and I know you felt bad that Piper and Phoebe couldn't really remember her, but that is no excuse Prue. I have never and will never be able to understand why you carry so much guilt for your mother's death".

At this Piper and Phoebe looked directly at Andy with questioning gazes. They had never known Prue felt guilty for what happened to their mother. How could she? It was no-one's fault after all.

Andy could feel their gazes and knew he was going to have explain everything. He couldn't bear to keep another of Prue's secrets from them, knowing how much it had hurt them already.

"Prue, your mother took you up to the lake that day because you wanted to go swimming. It was her choice She wanted to treat you and to make you smile. It was your mother's idea to play hide and seek whilst she waited in the water because she knew it was your favourite game. You couldn't of known she would get into trouble swimming back and end up drowning. You did everything you could Prue. You called for help when you realised something was wrong and you told them everything. Please believe me Prue, it wasn't your fault!"

Piper and Phoebe were stunned. They had never been told that version of events. They hadn't even been told Prue was there. They couldn't believe they had been lied to all their lives about their own mother's deaths.

Andy turned to them knowing what they were thinking. "Before you go thinking what I know you want to think, this was one secret Prue didn't want to keep. She was desperate to tell you, I guess to absolve the guilt she felt. She thought it was her fault your mother died and you lost out on everything you did. Your grandmother blamed her I think. I think that is what fuelled her treatment of Prue as she grew up. But I have since read the police reports and it was really was an accident. There was nothing your sister could have done at such a young age. She watched them bring your mother to shore. She watched them try to revive her, and then she watched them take her away in a body bag."

"I didn't know any of this for years after we began dating. But then one night we were studying at mine and Prue fell asleep. She suffered a nightmare, flashbacks I guess you could call it. She woke up screaming, shaking like crazy and crying so hard it took me 30 minutes to calm her down enough to talk. It all came pouring out then and I held her as she relived everything. I tried to tell her that it was not her fault but by that time she had already convinced herself it was and nothing I could do or say was going to change her mind. She said she wanted to tell you both so much but Grams had forbidden it. I had never seen her looking so lost, alone or desolate. She was almost inconsolable. But then the next time I saw her it was as if it had never happened. She had buried it again and refused to talk about it."

"I know she kept a lot from you but this was something she was made to conceal. Even after Grams died, no doubt she felt that compulsion to do as her grandmother had instructed. You have to understand, that the Grams you both grew up with was not the one Prue grew up with. The pull she exerted from your mother's death would shape everything Prue did with her life."

"I'm sorry you had to find out this way, I really am. But I think you needed to know that the blame isn't just Prue's to shoulder."

Turning back to Prue he continued. "Having said all that Prue, you cannot imagine how angry I am with you right now. You may well lie there thinking 'how can you say that after telling my sisters everything you just did' but you know what? I can say it because it's how I feel. I know you went through hell but to lower yourself to being with a man who beats you? Is that how you deal with your guilt? You think you deserve this because of what you've been told you are guilty for?"

"That's the most ridiculous, pathetic excuse I have ever heard. Or maybe it's because you wanted some attention for once? You think the best way to get attention is to get yourself a psychopathic fiancé? Even more pathetic. You could have got over all of this Prue. You had sisters who loved you, and friends who cared. They would have done anything for you, anything at all. But instead you thought you knew best. Instead you thought you knew the best way to deal with everything that had happened to you. You thought that by burying it, and keeping everything to yourself, that everything would be ok? Well look what happened. You have hurt your sisters so much more than they deserve. You have put yourself through more hell than any one person should have to deal with and if I'm being honest, I don't know if you are strong enough to deal with it all. And finally, sorry to sound selfish, but you have sent me to hell and back. Don't you get it Prue? I love you. I always have and seeing you again has shown me that I always will. You mean everything to me and whether you are with me or not, it hurts to see you in so much pain. So please Prue? I will so anything you want, anything at all. Just please wake up and help us to help you through this nightmare." Andy finished, crying as he finally admitted to her that he loved her.

As Piper, Phoebe and Andy each regained their composure, they each kissed Prue good bye on her forehead and collectively made their way out of the room to go and speak to Prue's doctors. As the door swung shut behind Andy, Prue's hands began to move slightly, unnoticed by anyone and alone in the hospital room.


	30. Hidden Truths

Chapter 30

Morris arrived at Prue's house with 10 police officers. He had the search warrant he needed and he was determined to find something. If it took all day and night they were going to scour every inch of the house to find what they needed to arrest Davenport.

Entering the house the first impression that Morris had was that it seemed like a bachelor pad. He could see no feminine touches to the first few rooms at all. 'Would certainly point to him being a control freak' Morris thought to himself.

Making his way up the stairs, he left the officers to the downstairs. He wanted to check out the bedroom. Checking each door he came to, he finally found the master bedroom and opened it gently. He didn't know what he expected to see but the room was spotless. 'Christ, the guy is probably a clean freak too' he thought.

He began by simply opening a few doors and getting a general feel for the place. All of Davenport's belongings were on one side of the room and all of Prue's on the other. He wasn't sure if this meant anything or not – could simply be because there was so much room. It was a huge room that was for sure. There were no personal items on any of the available surfaces. It looked more like a guest room in a hotel than the bedroom of an engaged couple.

He moved into the en suite bathroom and again, found no items on any surfaces. Opening the bathroom cabinets revealed all the different beauty products used by the couple but still nothing ultra personal. Nowhere in the house so far had he seen so much as a picture. Nowhere had he seen an ornament or a trinket that looked as if it had sentimental value.

Moving back into the bedroom he began inspecting every nook and cranny he could find. He knew there had to be something here – it was too perfect to look at. After an hour of searching he became aware of something tugging at the back of his mind. Something about the room wasn't right and it had been bugging him for a while before he realised it.

The dimensions of the room were deceiving. Something was off with one of the walls. He gently traced his fingers along the wall in question and gently knocked each section as he went along. Half way along the wall he received a hollow sound in response to his knock. Checking again, he determined that the hollow space was about 2 foot across and 6 foot high.

Darryl knew he had struck gold right away. He knew there must be a hiding place behind the fake panel. Moving out of the room quickly he called for offices with equipment to come up and break down the wall. They didn't have time to look for the catch to open it. They needed to find some evidence ASAP so they could arrest Davenport and put him behind bars before Prue recovered.

As the officers made their way into the room, Darryl showed them where the spot in the wall was. As they began breaking down the panel, he whipped out his cell phone to call Andy. His call went straight to answer phone which meant he was still at the hospital. 'Damn', thought Darryl. Wondering what message to leave, he waited for the beep and then began to speak.

"Hey Trudeau, it's Morris. I'm at the Davenport house now with a search warrant and we have found a hidden space in the Master bedroom. Give us a call when you get this and I will let you know what we have found. I have a good feeling mate. I think this is what we need to nail the bastard. Hope everything went ok with the doctors."

Hanging up his phone, he made his way back to the uniformed officers and anxiously waited for them to finish and for the dust to settle. As they moved away from the secret closet, Morris cautiously approached, preparing himself for any eventuality.

As the dust finally settled, Morris was able to get a clear picture of the closet and the secrets it contained. In one corner he could see the back of a video recorder and on the opposing wall were banks of videos. Underneath the shelves was located a small television and a video player. Moving closer for a better look, he could see that each video cassette was labelled with a date and then some stickers in the shape of stars.

Morris had a really bad feeling about this. He had a sinking feeling that he knew exactly what was on the videos and although they were desperate for the evidence, a huge part of him hoped he was wrong on this occasion. He knew that any evidence they found was going to be hard for Andy and Prue's sisters to view, but if this was what he thought it was, it was going to be so much harder.

Pulling out the most recent video tape, he noted the date was 6 weeks ago and it had 3 stars. Inserting it into the player, he turned on the television and asked the other officers to leave. He didn't want everyone seeing this that much he was sure of.

Pressing play the television screen burst into life and the image was of the master bedroom he had just had a cursory look through. Lying tied naked to the bed was Prue and standing over her was Roger. Prue looked terrified, crying and pleading with her fiancé to stop. Roger turned to look at the camera and the look on his face was purely sadistic.

Morris pressed the fast forward button hoping to miss some of the crueller moments but still having to watch most of it to make sure it had the evidence they needed.

Just before the end, Morris returned it to normal play speed and watched in horror as Roger beat Prue into unconsciousness before systematically cutting her body with a small knife, leaving her covered in blood and emerging bruises. He then began slapping her across the face to bring her back to consciousness.

When it was clear that Prue was fully awake, Roger began a tirade of abusive language. The names he was calling her, the words he was using. Morris found himself understanding why Prue had kept this to herself. The shame she must have felt would have been almost unbearable. The mental conditioning she had undergone at Roger's hands to believe that she was worthless was astounding. As the tirade on the videotape continued, Roger began to makes threats against Prue's sisters if she said anything.

'Reason number 2, Morris thought.' Having been brought up by her grandmother to do everything in her powers to protect her sisters, the threats Roger was making would ensure her silence. 'At any cost', would apparently be Prue's mantra where her sisters were concerned.

Morris moved to switch the tape off. He had seen more than enough. With this evidence they no longer needed Prue to wake up and tell them what happened. Whilst victim testimony was always preferable, in this instance, the tapes would do more talking than Prue ever could. The mere fact that Roger had recorded them showed a level of pre-meditation that would be difficult to deny.

As the tape rewound, Morris moved back into the main room and instructed the officers to catalogue all the tapes and take them to the station. Strict instructions were left that no-one was to view any of the tapes. Taking out his cell phone, Morris called the station and asked for officers to be sent out to Roger's parents home to arrest him.

Leaving word with the other officers of what was to be done and what was to be collected, Morris left the residence and decided to make his way back to the hospital. Andy was obviously still with the Dr's or with Prue and he wanted him to hear about the search from him and not someone else at the station.

As Morris drove towards the hospital his cell phone rang. He answered expecting it to be Andy returning his call but what he heard next enraged him to the point that he almost crashed his car. Pulling over to the side of the road quickly, he switched off his engine and asked the caller to repeat what they had just said.

"Sorry Inspector. The local police just called at the Davenport house to arrest the suspect and he had gone. His parents said they didn't know when he had gone but they had not heard or seen him leave. His car is still at the house but all his things are gone."

"Shit! This is bad. OK, put a bulletin out at all airports, ferry terminals, rental car places, train and bus stations within a 300 miles radius with his description. He can't have got far and he is going to need transport. We need to find him and fast. This guy is very dangerous and we need to get him into custody ASAP, you hear me?" Morris said, as he was wondering how the hell he was going to tell Andy that they had lost Davenport.

Piper, Phoebe and Andy made their way into Dr Wyatt's office and took the seats they were directed to by Leo and Bane.

"Sorry we took so long Dr. There were a few issues we needed to deal with. I don't think any of us were completely focused on what you were saying before. Could you explain everything again in simple terms so that we can all understand?" Piper asked.

"Of course we can" said Dr Wyatt, smiling encouragingly at Piper.

Bane began explaining Prue's condition again in detail, including the tests and their results and what the prognosis was. He didn't leave anything out, and was completely frank with them about everything. He needed them to understand that although there was good news, there was also the potential for bad news. He wanted them to be totally aware of all the possibilities following Prue waking up.

When he had finished explaining he asked them if they had any questions, wanting to cover every angle so that they were fully informed. When all three indicated that they fully understood, Bane looked to Leo for the go ahead to tell them the rest.

Leo indicated with a nod that he should go ahead and sat back, wondering how these people would take more previously unknown details of their sisters life.

"There is something else I wanted to tell you. I realise this may not be a good time but from what I can understand, you are trying to piece together what led Prue to this place in her life. Obviously I have no idea how much you know and how much you don't but maybe I can help with a small part."

"I don't understand. How could you possibly fill us in on Prue's life?" Phoebe asked, feeling confused.

"Well when I first saw Prue I knew she looked familiar but I couldn't place her. I knew I knew her from somewhere but it took me a while. I went home and looked through some papers when it came to me. Prue and I went to college together. We were in a few of the same classes and for a short period of time we became friends. It was never anything more than that no matter how much me or anyone else tried. And believe me a lot of guys tried. But then something happened and she ended the friendship and never spoke a word to me again." Bane said, looking down at his feet.

"What happened? What could have been so bad that she would have cut you out of her life? Prue wouldn't do that without good reason?" Piper asked.

"Before I tell you, let me just say that I was not proud of what happened but I wasn't totally to blame. I think I only knew a small portion of the issues that Prue was dealing with. Regardless, I was sorry afterwards but Prue wouldn't hear me out. It was like 'one strike and your out' with her."

Realising he was putting off the inevitable, Bane took a deep breath and prepared himself to tell his story.


	31. Reemergence and Recapture

Chapter 31

Morris pulled up at the hospital and made his way towards Prue's room. Knocking gently, he silently entered the room only to find it empty. Putting his head back around the door, he managed to catch the attention of a nearby nurse.

"Excuse me? I'm Inspector Morris with the SFPD working on Miss Halliwell's case. Can you tell me where her sister's and friend have gone to? I was supposed to meet them here to update them on the case" Morris said, showing her his police badge.

"Oh Miss Halliwell's sisters and the other officer have gone to speak with the doctors. They shouldn't be too long. Can I take a message to them for you?" she asked.

"No that's ok thank you. I don't want to disturb them. I will wait in the room if that is ok?"

"Of course. If there is anything you need, please just ask" the nurse said, before turning and entering another patient's room.

Morris made his way back into the room and looked for a chair. Finding one against the far wall, he pulled it closer to the bed and made himself comfortable. Taking out his notebook, he decided to review all the notes he had taken since the beginning of the case, to see if there was anything he had overlooked. He hoped there was something in there that might tell him possible destinations for Davenport.

Twenty minutes later and he was pleased with the number of ideas he had come up with from his notes. He often found it helped to come back to notes after a while with a fresh head. Many a breakthrough had come in just that manner and he was hoping for another one now. There were a few slender possibilities but he still didn't think he had found the correct one. "Wouldn't hurt to check the others out though" he said softly to himself.

Morris thought he caught a movement out of the corner of his eye so moving forward in his chair, he placed his notebook to one side and looked more closely at the woman lying in the bed. Glancing at the monitor with all her vital statistics on, Morris noticed no change. She was still in the same position and her breathing was the same – although that was to be expected since she was on a ventilator to help her breathing while her lungs repaired themselves.

Moving back in his seat, Morris picked up his pad again, and continued to read through his detailed noted. He was so engrossed in what he was reading that he didn't notice Prue's eyelid flutter open for a moment or the fingers on her right arm clench.

Pain was the first thing that registered. So much pain. Next came the feel of the tube that was in her throat. Again she tried to open her eyes but only one would co-operate and then only for a few seconds. She felt as though she was trapped inside her body. She couldn't talk, she couldn't move, she couldn't do anything.

She knew someone was in the room with her but she didn't know who it was. She could guess that she was in hospital but as for the reason to be there, she had no idea. She tried to adjust to tube in her throat. Breathing had to be modified as did swallowing which was virtually impossible. She felt so weak! As she acknowledged this thought, she became aware of the darkness coming back to claim her.

She didn't want to go! She wanted to stay awake, to alert someone to her situation, to get help. As the darkness engulfed her once more, she heard a memory of a voice – a voice telling her that he loved her and always would. But as she succumbed to the darkness, she couldn't for the life of her put a name to that voice.

Pulling up to the airport, Roger parked his car in the long stay car park and retrieved his belongings. By his reckoning he should be in perfect time for an international flight to be leaving soon. Entering the departures building Roger scanned the boards looking for the perfect flight to get him out of the country.

His eyes fixed on the most promising – a flight to London in 2 hours. He knew check in would have only just started so he approached the nearest ticket desk to purchase a one way.

"Hi! Are there any available seats on the next flight to London please?" he asked with a smile on his face.

"Let me just check for you Sir. Did you want a return or one way?" the clerk asked, glancing at his face. It looked kind of familiar and she couldn't work out why.

"One way only thank you. I don't know when I will be returning unfortunately." Roger said.

"That shouldn't be a problem Sir. Let me just check the availability. Do you have your passport to hand?"

"Of course. Here it is. Do you accept credit cards?" Roger asked, pleased that everything was going smoothly.

"Yes Sir we do. There is a seat available for you but it is in first class. Is that a problem Sir? It would cost you $2000." The clerk replied, searching her brain for where she had seen this man before.

Taking the offered credit card and passport as a yes, she scanned both through the computer. As she finished scanning the passport, she handed both back to Roger and waited for the credit card transaction to complete.

"Sorry for the delay Sir. The computer is just checking with your credit card company as it is such a large amount. It shouldn't take too much longer" she said smiling.

A beep on her computer alerted her to an error. Turning back to the screen she found a notification with the picture of the man stood in front of her. But the name on the screen did not match that of the passport she had scanned.

Reading the note quickly she learned that this person was wanted by police in San Francisco and that there was a warrant out for his arrest. It also said he was extremely dangerous.

Having received training for such an occasion, the clerk gave the man his ticket and receipt. Smiling she said "There we are Sir. Sorry for the delay. I hope you have an enjoyable trip to the UK."

"Thank you very much, I'm sure I will." Roger replied before turning to go and find his check in desk.

As soon as he was out of hearing distance, the clerk picked up her phone and rang the number on the screen. She knew that the relevant people would already have been informed of the transaction but she needed to inform them of what she had done.

"Yes, this is Julia Davies on the ticket desk. The gentleman in question hs just gone to check in gate 45 for the flight to London leaving in 2 hours. The name on the passport and credit card is Mr Sean Daniels. His appearance is the same as the photo on the poster."

"Thank you Miss Davies. Did he suspect anything?" the voice on the other end asked.

"No Sir, I don't believe he did."

And with that the call was disconnected and Jullia began serving her next customer. 'All in a day's work' she thought to herself.

Waiting in line to check in his luggage, Roger was smiling to himself. 'I've done it. If anyone was on to me yet, I would never have gotten that ticket. I am home free now. '

As he moved up in the line, he was unaware of the people behind him being ushered away, or the policemen and security guards who were slowly surrounding him. By the time he spotted the first one, it was too late. He was caught in their net and had nowhere to escape. A split decision later and he had decided to make a run for it.

Throwing his bags at the oncoming officers to his left, he launched to the right and barrelled into one of the officers. As the officer fell to the ground, Roger used the momentum to crouch, roll and come up into a running position. He glimpsed the door and thought he was actually going to make it.

In the next moment, he heard the cocking of a gun and then the shouted command "Stop! Or we'll shoot". This brought Roger to a sudden halt. As much as he didn't want to go back and face what was to come, he didn't particularly want to die either. All he wanted was to escape to a hot, sunny island somewhere with an equally hot woman next to him.

As the officers swarmed in and cuffed him, he realised that that was a dream that was never going to come true. He was actually going to have to go back to San Francisco and answer for everything. The more he thought about it as he was bundled into a police car and driven away from the airport, the more he realised he had nothing to worry about. He knew he had been totally justified in everything he had done and he knew he could convince a court of law of that fact.

Smiling to himself, he settled himself into the seat to make himself more comfortable and watched the scenery pass him buy. He would be just fine. He knew he would because he knew he deserved no less.

Morris's pager vibrated against his hip. Looking up from his notes, he checked the message and immediately got up and left the room, sending his papers to the floor.

Locating a nurse, he flashed his police badge and asked "Can you tell me where the nearest phone is? It's very important."

"Of course Inspector" the nurse replied, "At the desk there is the station desk phone. Just dial 9 for an outside line." She said.

"Thank you!" Morris said, as he quickly made his way to the indicated desk. Locating the phone quickly, he dialled 9 followed by the number on his pager.

"This is Inspector Morris. You paged me?" he said, breathless with anticipation.

"Yes Sir I did. We just had a call from a police force about 250 miles north of us. Davenport tried to get a flight to London about 15 minutes ago. When confronted by police, he initially tried to run but when faced with being shot he caved immediately. He is in custody and following a brief stop at the local station to fill in paperwork for assault on a police officer, they will be bringing him here. He should be here in the next 48 hours or so Sir."

"Excellent. Thank you for the update and please pass on my thanks to the officers involved in his capture. We can finally put this bastard behind bars where he belongs. Keep me updated. I am at the hospital with the victim and her family so all calls can be put through to the Intensive Care Unit. Thanks again" Morris said, before hanging up the phone without waiting for a reply.


	32. Way Back When

Chapter 32

"I guess I first noticed Prue around campus. She was by far one of the most beautiful women around at the time and wherever she went heads turned. It wasn't just her beauty though. There was a mystery about her that was so intriguing. Before long almost everyone on campus was talking about her. No-one really knew who she was, where she came from or even how old she was. Those who had classes with her were telling people her name but that was all that was known. She kept to herself at all times and very rarely made contributions in class."

Bane knew he had their full attention by now. From the looks on all their faces, they knew very little about Prue's college experience. This was definitely new territory for them and he was glad that in a way he was helping them.

"At the end of the semester, class positions were posted as usual and no-one was particularly surprised to hear that Prue was top in all her classes. People assumed that she must spend all her time studying since she didn't seem to have a social life – well none that related to college life anyway."

"In our second semester, Prue and I shared a class. It was one of those Intro courses and we were paired together on an assignment. I remember Prue speaking to the Professor and practically begging to be allowed to do the assignment alone but the Professor was having none of it. Whether the faculty knew of all the gossip or were simply worried about her social interaction because she always sat alone, they had decided that Prue needed to work with her peers."

"Wait a minute" Piper said. "I remember that, kind of. I remember Prue raging for days about having to work with someone else. When I asked her why it bothered her so much she said something about wanting to maintain her straight A grades and that she was worried that the person she had been paired with would bring her down."

"Well I am pretty sure that was not the real reason. Prue knew that I was second in the class behind her and that I was also a straight A student. As it turned out we got full marks on the project but it was one hell of a tough time getting there. Initially Prue suggested I let her do all the work and she would put my name on the project regardless. I wasn't having any of this. I wanted to work with her. I wanted to try and get to know her."

"The more I tried to talk to her the more she went out of her way to hide from me. During those first few weeks I found so many of the places she used to go off and hide in. the library was the obvious one, but there was also the bleachers at the football pitch, the park and I also managed to track her to this garden place. That was when I started to get through to her. I found her sitting on a swing. She looked so sad, and so alone. At first I wasn't going to approach her as I didn't want to intrude. She portrayed such a tough persona to everyone else, but here she was looking so vulnerable. In that instant everything changed for me."

"Before then, I admit, I had been hoping that working together might be a good way to get close to her and maybe ask her out. But seeing her in that way, changed my whole way of thinking towards her. In that moment all I wanted to do was look after her, protect her and comfort her."

Andy shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He wasn't sure how he felt hearing all this, but knowing that so many guys wanted her, and that the guy in front of him had seen her in such a vulnerable state, a state which had previously been known only to him, gave him an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Before I had a chance to turn around and leave, Prue spotted me. I don't know whether I made a noise or what but she knew I was there. First of all she looked startled. Like a deer caught in headlights. Then she looked so angry. I have never seen someone's emotions not only change so quickly but also play out so convincingly across their faces. "

Bane looked as if he was lost, back in that garden looking at Prue. Phoebe was struck by how worried he looked, even though he was only telling a story. She could tell from the way he spoke about her sister and the look on his face that he had truly cared about her.

"Before I knew what was happening, Prue was approaching me, shouting at me. She was annoyed that I had tracked her down again. Accused me of following her and of trying to hound her into submission. I couldn't get a word in edgeways. The longer she carried on shouting, ranting and raving, the more I realised that she wasn't actually angry with me anymore. She started shouting things about life not being fair, about someone leaving her to face everything alone, and about how those people who knew her best all left her."

Andy looked down at his hands in shame, knowing instinctively that one of the people she had been raging about had been him. He could only guess at the identity of the other persons or persons but he would bet money that one of them was her mother. Piper saw the guilty look that passed across Andy's face but before she could say anything Bane continued.

"I didn't find out until much later that she had been talking about mother and her high school boyfriend. But she didn't mean it Inspector Trudeau – she was just venting her frustrations."

Andy was stunned, as were Piper and Phoebe. "How did you…" Andy said, unable to finish his question.

"It took me a while to piece everything together. Prue always talked about you but I only ever knew the name Andy. But she told me how close you were to not just her but also her sisters and that you were a local guy who's family had always been in the police force. When I saw the way you looked at Prue, and the closeness between you and her sisters, it all fell into place."

"OK but how do you know she didn't mean what she said? How much did she tell you?" Andy asked, desperate to know what she had said about him.

"She didn't give me details about what had happened between the two of you but she made it clear that it was not your fault. She said she had pushed you away because of her issues and that she didn't blame you for leaving and not contacting her. Did you know that she almost called you?" Bane asked, looking at Andy.

With a shake of his head, and a haunted look in his eyes, Andy answered no.

"During the time we were friends if she ever felt the urge to call you, she would call me instead. She didn't want to ruin your college life by dragging up the past. Most of these times, just having someone to talk to helped and she was ok. But one time in particular, the anniversary of her mother's death, things got pretty bad."

"By this time, we had been spending more time together and I had come to understand a little bit more about the way Prue thought and the things that were bothering her. I knew a huge issue in her life was her domineering grandmother, and the time she had to devote to the two of you" he said, indicating Piper and Phoebe.

Knowing they were about to say something or protest in some way he quickly carried on. "Bu I also knew she didn't mind devoting that time to you. The way she talked about you both with such pride, love and devotion in her voice was so heartfelt that I have no doubt about how much she loved you. It was like listening to her mother talk about her children."

"Prue never told me very much but she told me just enough for me to work some stuff out for myself. I knew she resented your grandmother for piling so much pressure and responsibility and after a few drinks one night, she let slip that her grandmother blamed her for her own mother's death but it was something she denied saying later and I let it drop."

On the anniversary of your mother's death though, I could see her coming apart at the seams. She was late to lectures all day, very touchy and defensive if someone tried to talk to her let alone ask if she was ok, and she looked permanently on the verge of tears."

"That day was always the hardest for Prue – still is" Piper replied. "Now we know that Grams had her believing the accident was her fault, no wonder she went to pieces every year on the same day. She always thought we didn't see that side – that we only ever saw the strong front she put on for us – but we always knew. We just put it down to the fact that she knew Mom better than us and therefore felt the loss more. Not that we didn't miss Mom, but it was very difficult to miss someone you don't really remember. For us, it was more a case of knowing we had been robbed of the chance to know our mother. Does that make sense at all?" Piper asked.

It was Leo who answered, speaking for the first time since Bane had started telling his story. "It makes perfect sense Miss Halliwell. After all, they do say, 'how can you miss something you never really had?'"

He said, smiling slightly as he looked at Piper.

"Well this day was a bad one. I knew if I didn't get her out of the college fast she was going to go over the edge in front of everybody and I knew she wouldn't want that to happen. So we skipped final lectures and drove to the beach. It was where she most wanted to go. When we got there, we parked and made our way over to the rock pools. Without saying a word, Prue led the way through a series of paths amongst the rocks and after about 5 minutes we found ourselves in this clear sandy spot, sheltered from view."

"Prue must have been there before because she knew exactly where she was going. We sat down and I waited. I figured she would speak when she was ready but I didn't realise I would have so long to wait. We sat there for nearly 45 minutes before she said a anything and only then it was simply 'thank you'. For the next hour we sat there side by side whilst tears silently fell from her eyes, not moving, not speaking just sitting. I was sat by her side, lost in my own thoughts when Prue began moving. She turned behind us and found her bag, opened it and took something out. When she turned around I saw the bottle of vodka in her hand."

As Bane stopped talking, Andy abruptly stood up and walked towards the door. He knew exactly what was coming next and he had no wish to hear it. Without saying a word, he walked out the door, leaving the remaining people in the room to wonder what was going through his mind.


	33. Hurt

Chapter 33 

Andy let his feet carry him as he walked away from the Dr's office, not thinking about where he was heading, just knowing he needed to put some space between himself and the people inside the room.

He found himself stood outside a familiar door after a few moments with his hand resting gently on the handle. He looked up and was slightly surprised to see his partner sat in a chair next to the bed, looking through his note pad.

'Reviewing the evidence no doubt', Andy thought to himself. Morris was always so conscientious about his work, which is why he had trusted him with this case. He knew he could rely on Morris to be thorough and leave no stone unturned.

Andy knew he needed some time to process the new information he had before he spoke to his partner so stepping away from the door, he quickly made his way out into the parking lot. Realising that Morris had dropped him at the hospital that morning, Andy quickly hailed a cab, and gave his home address so he could pick up his car.

After the short journey to his house, Andy paid the driver and quickly got into his own car. He knew that his place would be the first place anybody would look for him so he decided to go somewhere else to think.

He also knew that Phoebe and Piper would think to look at the swing so he couldn't go there, even though that was the place his heart most wanted to visit. Suddenly an idea popped into his head and without thinking he manoeuvred his car across the lanes and changed his course.

Ten minutes later Andy arrived at his destination – the beach. Yes, ok they had just been talking about it but he knew that Piper and Phoebe didn't know where it was and the chances were that the Dr had only ever been there the once with Prue and probably wouldn't be able to find it again.

Locking his car and turning off his cell, Andy removed his shoes and made his way across the sand towards the rocks. Finding the path almost immediately he followed the sand and soon enough he found himself in the same place he and Prue had visited so many times when they had been together.

Sitting himself down on the sand facing the water he looked around and marvelled at how the place hadn't changed at all. It was what he loved most about the ocean and the beach – it took a very long time for nature to change its appearance. Simply by visiting this place, it was as if the years had just fallen away and he was back to those days when he and Prue had been so much in love.

As he turned his gaze out to sea, he was assaulted by the memories again – this time of the moments they had spent together in this place, hidden away from watchful eyes, simply basking in each other and the love they shared.

This was where they used to come when they wanted to be alone. So often there was always someone at her house or his that quality couple time was severely limited. That was until they had discovered this place one summer's day when they were looking for a place to make out away from their friends.

Although they had first made love at Andy's house, they had never seemed to have the opportunity again at either house and so, when they had found this alcove, which offered privacy from prying eyes and the wind, they had seized the chance to make it their special place.

From that moment on, Andy always carried some picnic blankets and sleeping bags in the trunk of his car so that they could escape at a moment's notice and enjoy each other without interruption. This place had always been so special to them, and as Andy sat there now, staring at the ocean he could still see them lying there in the sand, a couple of teenagers so much in love.

Andy could see Prue, lying in the blankets on a hot summers day, naked and wet from skinny dipping in the nearby rock pools and the image still caused him to hold his breath, even though it was but a memory. He could remember every single detail of how breathtakingly beautiful she looked that even now, so many years later, he felt himself become aroused. That day had been their most passionate by far, but also one of their last. Such a short time later and they were apart.

As Andy remembered that magical day he began to cry softly. Not just for the day that had been so long ago, but for the pain he felt at leaving Prue, at the guilt he felt for not understanding enough, but mostly he cried for Prue. He cried for the anguish, pain and suffering she had been forced to endure because of her grandmother and now because of her fiancé.

At the thought of Roger, Andy felt his anger rising to the surface. Not just anger at Roger for the damage he had done to Prue, but anger at Prue too. For letting someone do this to her, for never ringing him when she had wanted to, for believing her grandmother when she told her her mother's death was her fault and finally, for bringing another man here – to their special sacred place.

He knew exactly what Bane had been about to say because he had been there with Prue when it had happened the first time. Prue would drink most of the bottle no matter what anyone said to her and when she was drunk, Prue turned into a different person. Although it was just a guess, Andy believed that Prue had probably thrown herself at Bane – whether the Dr obliged or refused he didn't know but in his gut he knew what Prue had done.

It hurt that she had offered herself to another man, but Andy knew that was his fault for not sticking around. What he hated was where she had done it because of what it meant to them as a couple.

Andy stood and raced his fists to the sky. "Why? Why did you do this to her? Why can't you let her be happy? Haven't you put her through enough?" he shouted, looking up towards the clouds.

"She doesn't deserve this. None of us deserve this. Why? Why? Why?" he shouted, falling to his knees as the anger left him and the tears poured out.

How long he sat there, on his knees, Andy had no idea but he slowly became aware of the sinking sun. Standing slowly, he stretched his legs carefully and turned to watch the sunset over the ocean. He felt truly exhausted yet also as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

Making his way back towards the beach, Andy began to mentally prepare himself for what he would find when he got back to the hospital. With a new-found resolve, he got into his car, turned on his cell phone and began the journey back towards Prue.

Bane regained his composure and turned to the sisters. "I can only guess that the Inspector knows what is coming next and has decided against hearing it. I will not go into detail out of respect for your sister and because what happened was very personal and private but I shall simply say that Prue drank most of the vodka herself and once drunk, became shall we say amorous?"

Bane left it hanging for a moment, waiting for the realisation dawn on the ladies in front of him. When it was obvious they had understood his meaning he quickly carried on. I am ashamed to say that I did not do enough to fight off your sisters' advances, even knowing the state she was in and for that I will always be sorry."

"I wish I could say that what happened that night was two people making love but it wasn't. I am sure, as far as your sister was concerned, love did not come into it. For her it was about feeling something, releasing her pain and anger and maybe even hurting someone else a little too, I'm not sure. What I do know though, is that when Prue sobered up and realised what had happened that was the end of our friendship."

Struggling with what she had just heard Piper asked, "What do you mean, the end of your friendship? What happened?"

Hanging his head Bane ran his fingers through his hair and let out a sigh. "Prue accused me of taking advantage of her, of having planned for it to happen all along. She accused me of only having one thing on my mind and of using her. She told me I made her feel dirty, used and ashamed and that she never wanted to see me again."

Silence hung heavily in the air and Bane finally revealed what had happened. Although Leo had already heard his friends story once, hearing it this time round, in the presence of her sisters who were so obviously oblivious to it all, elicited a more emotional reaction than before. His heart went out to his friend as he obviously still felt some pain and guilt about what had happened.

Piper's mind was reeling. It was so much to take in. It also hurt. How could she have lived in the same house as her sister for so many years and not know what she was going through? Other people noticed but not her own sisters? 'Does that make me a bad sister?' Piper thought to herself.

As her mind ran through everything that Bane had just told them, pieces of a puzzle started to click into place in her mind.

"Wait a minute! Was that the reason Prue changed her Major? Was that why Prue abandoned her course half way through and suddenly changed to History from Photography?" she asked, knowing instinctively what the answer would be.

"Yes it is. It meant that Prue studied at a different campus to me so after that day I never saw her again. I tried calling but she never answered and my messages always went unanswered, as did my letters. I wanted so much to tell her I was sorry and to try and put things right but it was if she had just erased me from her life."

Phoebe spoke for the first time since Andy left the room. "Thank you for telling us everything, I can tell how much it still bothers you. Please understand that this is going to take some getting used to so if you'll excuse us, I think Piper and I should go and spend some time with our sister while we process this. Understand, it feels for us as if we are only now getting to know our sister, which is hard for us to accept given that we lived with her for so long."

As the girls left the room, Leo pulled out a bottle of scotch from his bottom drawer and a couple of glasses and without saying a word, poured two large shots and handed one to his friend. Looking at each other they raised their glasses, nodded at each other and swallowed it in one. Neither said a word, as Leo poured them both a refill.

Morris stood up and began pacing the room. After sitting for over an hour he needed to stretch his legs and get his circulation going again. 'I'm not as young as I used to be' he thought to himself.

Putting his notebook down on a unit near the window, he decided to take a quick walk up the corridor to the nurses station to see if he could charm a cup of coffee out of one of them. Turning quickly to look at Prue before leaving he felt an urge to say something, even though he knew she couldn't hear him.

"It's ok Prue. I won't be long. Just getting some coffee to keep me awake. I promise I won't leave you alone for too long – Andy would kill me if I did" he said, as he turned and walked out the door.

As Morris exited the room, a small voice was drowned out by the sound of the door closing. He did not hear the words that escaped her as she finally surfaced into consciousness long enough to try and speak.

"Don't go," she managed to say, although it came out as nothing but a whisper. She did not know who had been talking to her but she didn't care. She just wanted someone to help her.

Trying again the same voice said, "Please don't leave me. Help me."

But no one heard the tiny voice that managed barely a croak. Struggling to fight off the encroaching darkness, she summoned all the energy she could muster and moved her arm so that it was hanging over the edge of the bed. She hoped that when someone came back, they would notice that she had moved and do something to help her. 'Please someone notice', she thought as the darkness claimed her once again.


	34. Looking for Answers

**Chapter 34**

Holding the door open for her little sister, Piper waited until she had passed and then followed her into the room, taking the chair opposite Phoebe across the bed. Leaning back in their chairs they both looked at the face of their unconscious sister, as if searching her features for any hint of the pain she had suffered.

Turning to look each other full in the face, both of them were reluctant to speak. The last few weeks had been a rollercoaster and it seemed as if the longer Prue remained unconscious the more skeletons from her closet they would discover. Neither sister knew if they could handle any more revelations. At least not without the strength and wisdom Prue had always given them.

Of course that wouldn't be possible in this case, because the revelations were concerning their sister and she was in no condition to give them any answers right now. Phoebe decided to break the silence before the thoughts coursing through her brain broke free and tumbled from her lips in a confusing monologue.

"I don't know about you Pipe but I feel as if I never really knew Prue. I mean, how could we have lived in the same house as her, spent as much time with her as we did and not know the terrible things that she was going through?" she said, trying to order her thoughts into coherence.

"I was thinking the same thing sweetie. I keep thinking that no matter how much Prue tried to keep it from us, and tried to protect us from what was happening we should have seen something, especially me as I was older than you."

"Piper, it's no-one's fault you know that. Not even Prue's really. She was just doing as she was told. If anyone is to blame it is Grams for beginning this cycle of behaviour but she's dead…I can't bring myself to blame her for it. It just is, and we have to deal with the consequences."

"I guess you're right. You know you sounded like Prue just then? All wisdom and knowing what's for the best. She has always been so proud of you." Piper said, smiling for the first time in what seemed like forever.

"Thanks sis. That means more to me than I can say. But she was incredibly proud of both of us not just me. But moving on to how we can deal with the consequences…as much as I don't think I can deal with anymore revelations I think we need to read some more of Prue's diaries. It might give us some of idea of how we can help her when she wakes up."

"That's a good idea Pheebs." After a moments thought Piper said "I know neither of us wants to leave right now so I am going to go outside and call Andy, ask him to pick them up from the Manor on his way back. I wonder if he's ok? I won't be long." Piper said as she walked out the door to exit the hospital to use her cell.

Checking the caller display, Andy answered his ringing cell as he drove towards the hospital. "Hi Piper, is everything ok? Has something happened with Prue?" he asked.

"No, no change Andy. I was just wondering if you were on your way back to the hospital any time soon?"

"Yeah I'm heading back there now. Why?"

"Well I was wondering if you could do us a favour and stop at the Manor and pick up Prue's diaries for us? Phoebe and I think we should read some more to help us work out how best to help Prue when she wakes up."

"Yeah no problem Piper. I guess the spare key is in the same place it's always been?" he asked, remembering where they had hidden it all those years ago.

Laughing slightly, Piper replied "Yeah, some things about us Halliwell's don't change. See you soon, and thanks Andy."

"No problem, see you shortly." Andy replied before hanging up. At the next set of lights he turned around and headed back towards the Manor to retrieve the diaries.

Entering Prue's hospital room, Andy found Piper, Phoebe and Morris discussing what had happened with Roger. Morris filled Andy in on all the details quickly, stressing the fact that he had been caught, and glossing over the fact that he had almost got away. He could tell Andy was fit to burst but he also knew he would not let go of that anger here, in front of these people.

Turning to address the sisters Andy said, "I'm sorry for walking out before but I could guess what was about to come next and I didn't need to hear it. That spot on the beach that was mentioned was our special place, where we went when we wanted to be together and well…"

"We totally understand Andy but there is a part you missed that you should know about. After what happened, Prue refused to have anything more to do with Bane. That was why she changed majors from Photography to History – so she could study at a different campus and never have to see him. She cut him out of her life completely," Phoebe explained.

Andy wasn't entirely sure how to feel about that. He was surprised to find that he did feel sorry for Bane though. Even Andy had to admit that the guy had obviously cared a lot about her and Andy knew what it was like to care for Prue and have it thrown back in your face. Needing to change the subject Andy simply smiled at Phoebe and produced the diaries Piper had asked for.

"Would you guys like us to leave while you read these?" he asked, unsure of whether he wanted to read more of Prue's thoughts or not.

"No, please, stay. Both of you. We don't even know what we are looking for but we thought it might help us understand Prue better. Phoebe and I have come to realise that we know so little of what has happened in Prue's life over the years. I know that was by Prue's design but still – she is our sister and we should have been there" Piper explained.

Nodding in agreement, Andy placed the box on a nearby table and opened it carefully. Selecting 4 diaries, he handed one to each person and they all settled in to begin reading. So preoccupied with doing something to help Prue, no-one noticed that her arm had moved – that Prue was asking for help in the only way she could.


	35. Who Knew?

**Chapter 35**

Checking the date on the diary, Piper knew that in her hand she had the diary documenting her sister's thoughts from about 2 months after Andy had left for college. Instinctively she knew this would be hard to read as she was sure it would show how truly devastated Prue had been by the break up.

Opening the first pages of the diary, Piper began to read but then stopped, a little confused by what she was reading. This had not been written in the same style as the previous entries they had read back at the manor. Looking at the others around her, she found them already engrossed in their volumes so returning to the pages in front of her Piper began reading.

Twenty minutes and 14 pages later, Piper could read no further without the others knowing what it was she was reading. Her instincts were telling her what the entries were about but her mind balked at the idea that it was even remotely possible. Not Prue – not without her sisters knowing.

"I hate to interrupt everyone but I think I may have found something important. The entries in the diary start about 2 months after the break up and they are not written the way the others are – it's simply written in un-connected sentences, almost like quotes. Reading them and putting the pieces together indicates one thing but I can't find it in myself to believe it could be true. If I read it to you, see if you can think of something that would fit with what Prue is saying yeah?" Piper said, hating that she would have to read it aloud but desperate to prove to herself that her instincts were wrong.

"_I can't believe this is happening"_

"_How could I have been so stupid?"_

"_What the hell am I going to do?"_

"_What am I going to say?"_

"_Who can I tell?"_

"_I need help"_

"That is the first entry. The next comes a couple of days later." Piper said.

"_I have to do this no matter how hard it is"_

"_The counsellor was right – it's the best possible option"_

"_I know it's the right thing to do, but it killed me to make the decision"_

"_I wish I could tell just one person who would know what to do for the best – for all of us"_

"_I keep telling myself it wasn't meant to be – I just wish I could believe that_"

"The next entry is for the very next day" Piper said, swallowing the lump in her throat.

"_Everything is set for next week"_

"_I have to go through with this for everyone concerned"_

"_I know I will get through this, but if my family knew I don't they could"_

"_I can't let them down – it's as simple as that"_

"_That's what I am telling myself – do it for the family – for the best"_

"_I won't write now until it is all over – I don't want the chance to change my mind_"

Looking at the other 3 people in the room, Piper could tell that Phoebe was already thinking what had first occurred to her when she had first read it. Looking her sister in the eye, she gave her a small but reassuring smile and a slight nod of her head to convey to her that she too was having the same thoughts.

"The next entry is 9 days later followed by entries from the following 2 days."

"_Well it is done"_

"_That is the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life – and that includes burying mom"_

"_I don't know how I am supposed to feel , what I am supposed to think"_

"_I often wonder what if?"_

"_What if I had told them?"_

"_What if I had told him?"_

"_But no, Grams would have disowned me and thrown me out of the house"_

"_I did the only thing I could"_

"_I wish he was here"_

"_I wish he knew"_

"_But if he knew he would probably hate me"_

"_I feel so empty"_

"_How am I supposed to live with this?"_

"_What the hell have I done?"_

"_I need to do something"_

"_I need someone to know, someone to talk to"_

"_Piper was talking today about having kids sometime in the future. I had to leave the room before anyone could guess from my reaction"_

"_Grams would be horrified if she knew"_

"_More importantly, she'd be horrified at what I've done_"

"That's as far as I've read. I know it sounds silly, but I didn't want to read further without you. My instinct is telling me what is coming and I don't want it to be true."

Andy was the first one to speak. "It's ok Piper. If what is coming is what we all think it is, then I think it would be best for us to all to hear it at the same time. It is going to be hard enough as it is. We need to be strong for each other right now. I don't want to sound selfish and lessen how much this is going to hurt you, but I have one hell of a feeling this going to hurt me a hell of a lot more, so let's do this together ok?" Andy said, looking at each person in turn, hoping they would disagree but knowing they wouldn't and that he had to hear the rest.

When no-one said anything Andy turned back to Piper and said "Please carry on Piper", nodding is head at her.

"OK, well the next entry appears to revert to normal style."

"_I have been spending a lot of time at the beach lately. I somehow find peace there and it makes me feel closer to Mom. God I miss her. I know if she had been here I could have turned to her – but thanks to me she isn't here."_

"_Maybe if she had been here this wouldn't have happened to begin with. After all, Andy and I broke up because of my guilt and subsequent devotion to my sisters. Maybe if I hadn't got her killed, Andy and I wouldn't have broken up and he would be here with me now – and I would still be pregnant."_

Piper stopped reading and looked at Andy. It had finally been said and although they had all known it was coming, it was still somehow a huge shock. Prue had been pregnant when she and Andy broke up and she had had a termination.

Now that the words had been said, Andy was at a loss for words. 'How the hell am I supposed to feel about this?' he thought to himself. He and Prue had often talked about having kids when they were older and married but knowing now, that when they had broken up she was carrying his child – 'God what a mess' he thought to himself.

Piper felt the need to continue in the face of the silence, hoping to find some more answers to the questions she had.

"_God I miss him. Sometimes more than I miss Mom. I sit and wonder what he is doing, how he is doing, whether he is thinking about me. I wonder whether we could have made it under different circumstances. I wonder if he wonders the same things?"_

"_Is it strange that I have been talking to my baby lately? Whenever I go to the beach I feel the need to talk to the baby and to Mom. I like to think they are in heaven together, waiting for me. But then I think that maybe I won't make it to heaven because I murdered my baby."_

"_I like to think that if I had had the baby it would have been a boy. I imagine he would have looked exactly like his daddy and grown up to be an amazing young man, just like his father. But the truth is, I will never know."_

"That's where it ends." Piper said. "Not even half way through the actual book, and she just stopped writing in it."

"I'm going to guess and say she probably never wrote about what happened again. That is why she just abandoned it half way through." Phoebe said, wanting to think about anything other than the child that had been lost.

Phoebe knew that if the situations had been reversed, she would have gone to Prue in a heartbeat as she had always been able to with stuff like that. But her sister had never had anyone to offer her that sanctuary, that shoulder to lean on. And that made Phoebe both sad and angry. Why should her sister be denied such support?

'How could we have not known what Prue was going through? How could we miss such a massive, life changing event happening in her life and not notice the changes it left in her? Were we simply bad sisters or was she just an excellent actress?' Piper thought to herself.

"We always talked about having a girl and a boy" Andy said, breaking the silence. "Prue was adamant she wanted a mini me, and I wanted a little girl who was the mirror image of Prue in every way. When we talked about what the future held, we always knew children were a big part of it. I knew Prue would make an amazing mother because of the way she had been with Piper and Phoebe."

"We agreed that after college, we would get married and spend a few years making our mark in our chosen professions. Prue wanted to work as a photographer for one of the magazine's on current affairs and I wanted to work my way up through the force. We agreed that when we were both at a stage in our careers where we were happy with what we had accomplished we would then look to having children."

"Seems strange now to think that at 16 we had this all planned out but that's how much in love we were and how convinced we were that we would spend our lives together. We talked about having at least 2 – 1 of each, but maybe as many as 4 or 5. Prue and I even chose Godparents back then – Piper and Phoebe of course. As for names, well we would change our minds so often we never really settled on any. That was the only part of any it in which we changed our minds, we were so dead set on the rest."

"I know it's easy to say now…but if only I had known. Everything might have been different. We may not be sitting here right now. I would have stood by her. I would have come back and done everything I possibly could for her. But saying that, I know that even if she had told me, it wouldn't have been us who made the final decision about what happened to our baby. It would have been Grams because there is no way on this earth she would have let us keep that baby and therefore prevent Prue from going to college. When it came to you girls, that woman always got her way and this would have been no exception."

"But how could she think I would hate her? I could never hate her. As hard as it is, I do understand why she did what she did. I may not like it, but then nor did she. She did what she believed to be the best thing for everyone. It just seems to me right now, that it was the right thing for everyone else except her, because God knows, we all got what we wanted from life."

"I don't want you to think I am brushing this under the carpet because I am not. I will deal with the fallout from this information on my own at a later time but right now, we have another pressing matter. The diary I was reading is about the start of Prue's relationship with Roger. I think it could hold more clues for us as it would seem from the entries I have read so far, that by this time Prue was no longer writing as frequently as before. The entries are sporadic so it may cover more of a crucial time scale for us."

Understanding that Andy needed to deal with things in his own whilst looking for answers about Prue, everyone put down the diaries they had been reading and turned to give their full attention. When he knew he had their attention, Andy began reading.


	36. The Story Unfolds

**Authours Note : Just a quick note to apologise for the delay in this next chapter. I recently uprooted my life and moved cross country for promotion and since then, I hadn't really been able to motivate myself into writing the next chapter and to be honest, I hadn't had many reviews so I wasn't sure whether I should bother continuing. But then yesterday I had 2 reviews within hours of each other and they really spurred me to get back to this and made me realise I do want to finish this fic! So a big thank you to Rosemary and Thyme21394 and LeoPiperAndyPrue for your kick up the behind! Also thank you to those who faithfully review each chapter - your encouragement keeps me coming back for more :o) Enjoy...**

**Chapter 36**

"_Roger is persistent, Ill give him that. I'm glad I finally gave in though. He is everything I should want in a partner and Grams definitely approves – a first if ever there was one."_

"_I can't help but compare him to Andy although I know it is unfair. After all, first love is so different to real, long lasting love…isn't it?"_

"_No-one understands why I am with Roger. How could they when I won't let them in to the secrets of my past? I do feel guilty sometimes but then I wonder what they would think of me if they knew I had had an abortion?"_

"_Roger has asked me to marry him. I don't really think I have a choice. After all, who the hell else is going to ask me? And according to Grams, I should be the first one to marry before my sisters."_

"_I may still love Andy but I am sensible enough to know which side my bread is buttered on, and my future lies with Roger, regardless."_

"The next entry is a few months later. From what you have said in terms of timelines, I am guessing it is sometime after your grandmother died." Andy said, before returning to the pages in front of him and forcing himself to continue.

"_I can't believe he hit me. Not just hit me, but beat me. How am I supposed to explain these cuts and bruises to someone else? Although it briefly crossed my mind, I know I cannot tell anyone – otherwise he will leave me and then where would I be?"_

"_Please God let me be a better person. Let me be a better fiancée to Roger. Maybe if I was better, he wouldn't be so angry when I mess up and he wouldn't beat me the way he does."_

"_I think my sisters may be starting to suspect something. They had to come and get me from the hospital again today because Roger was unreachable. I know he is probably off with some blonde bimbo – and who can blame him? I must disgust him I am so useless and so ugly. He's right – I am worthless. I just hope he never leaves me._"

"_He threatened to hurt my sisters if I told anyone what he had been doing to me. I don't know why I threatened to tell, it's not as if I ever would. Besides, who would care? Roger was right when he said no-one would. After all, who would care about someone as worthless as me?"_

"_Roger decided today that we should start trying for a baby. He says it would look strange if we didn't have children and although he doesn't particularly want to have one with me, I will have to do for the moment. It is understandable – having children with me would always mean there was a small possibility they could turn out like me and who would want a child like me? My mother didn't which is why she died, and my grandmother certainly didn't want a granddaughter like me as she constantly reminded me. Roger was right – they both died to escape me because I am so terrible."_

"_I can't believe it. I'm actually pregnant. Roger's reaction was...confusing. It was his idea, and I know he said he didn't particularly want one with me, but I thought his reaction would have been different. Instead, he simply said 'Fine', asked how far along I was and left for work. I don't even know if I am allowed to tell people. I'm supposed to be having dinner with my sisters tonight and I can just imagine their delight at the prospect of becoming Aunties but I'm not sure if I can tell them."_

"Well that makes sense", Phoebe said.

Everyone in the room turned to look at her with a quizzical expression, including Piper.

"Don't you remember Piper? We went out for one of our monthly dinners with Prue and she was incredibly subdued. She refused to drink alcohol, even though it had become a tradition of ours to drinks margarita's on our sister's nights. We argued about it and she left early, barely saying goodbye. You must remember?"

"Well now you mention it yes I do. So you think that was the day she found out she was pregnant? But that was 6 months ago. What on earth happened to the baby?" Piper said, looking at everyone in turn.

"_I caught Roger with a woman a few days ago in our bed. How could he do that to me in our home, our bed when I am carrying his child? The child that was conceived in that very bed? I know I shouldn't have but with the hormones and everything I lost my temper and screamed at the both of them. I ordered her out of the house. Roger was seething – I have never seen him this angry before. He completely forgot that I was pregnant. He caught up to me at the top of the stairs. I tried to pull away from his grasp, lost my balance and fell down the stairs. Roger must have remembered at that point about the baby because he called an ambulance and rushed me to the hospital. It was too late. I lost my baby 3 days ago and today they let me leave the hospital."_

"_It's strange. I know I lost my baby last week but I still haven't cried. I keep thinking it will happen when I am ready but I am still waiting. Roger is upset. He blames me of course. It was my fault for coming home early from shopping. My fault for getting upset. My fault for not being good enough that he had to look elsewhere for satisfaction. My fault for not wanting the baby enough. Maybe he's right. A part of me didn't want that baby because it was part him. Because it would never be enough to replace the one I was carrying before. The one I murdered. How can I ever hope to have a child now when I will only ever think about the first child that should have been? More importantly, how can I ever hope to have a child with Roger when the only person I want to have a child with would want nothing to do with me if he found out what I had done, what I have become……Andy. He's the only man I ever imagined being the father of my children and deep down, he's still the only one I would want."_

"_Since the miscarriage I have been doing a lot of thinking. I've been visiting the beach regularly for inspiration and insight. I've even been talking to Mom and the baby although they haven't answered back which I guess I should be grateful for. Roger has made me feel crazy up until now and I guess I was starting to believe that there was something wrong with me. But I know there isn't now. Surely if I was, I would have heard an answer to my questions."_

"_I've been thinking. I need to escape from Roger. I can't go on living like this or he is going to kill me one of these days. I wish I could tell my sisters but I don't want to put them in any danger. I know exactly what they're reactions would be if I did – Phoebe would storm out, come round here and try and beat the crap out of Roger. Piper would be the sensible one trying to reign in Phoebe's blood lust and suggesting the sensible course of action – going to the police. But I can't afford either of those options. I can't let my sisters find out about all of this. It is still my job to protect them regardless of how old they are now. I must protect them from me and from Roger at all costs."_

Everyone looked at each other in silence. There was Grams again with her sense of duty. She even managed to dictate Prue's actions from beyond the grave. No-one voiced their opinion but they all silently wondered when exactly Grams had given up on protecting her eldest granddaughter and set her on the downward spiral which would lead to this point. They each silently acknowledged that there could be no doubt that the old lady had set in motion this chain of events years before, although they also knew she could have had no foresight of what was to happen. Maybe if she had, things would have turned out differently. Hindsight was incredibly poignant like that.

"The next few entries over a couple of months detail different plans to escape by the looks of it. Let me just skip ahead a bit to……here we go……there's one here from the day I saw you all in the hospital." Andy said.

"Wait a minute are you sure? How could that be in the box in our attic? Prue hasn't lived at the Manor for ages and that incident was only 10 days ago. I don't understand." Piper said, confusion etched across her brow.

"You're right Piper that is strange. But the date is right I promise you. Let's find out what is written and see if it holds any clues shall we?" Andy said, as he found the entry he had referred to and prepared to read it aloud.

As everyone prepared themselves for revelations of the recent past, they all missed the slight movement of Prue's eyes beneath her eyelids. If any had been looking closely they would have seen her eyes flickering as Prue struggled to return to the voices she could hear.

But before she had had a chance to really try, the darkness was claiming her again. Dragging her down into the depths of calm, cool nothingness. She surrendered without struggle, knowing that it would be in vain. Before she succumbed completely, her final thought was 'Soon, I promise' and then she was gone again.

And nobody had noticed her valiant struggle.


	37. Plans and Memories

**Author's Note - A big thank you to everyone who sent reviews following my last update. They are : peanut2lb, Prujo (), LeoPiperAndyPrue, PrueLovesAndyLovesPrue and ShOULDi you all inspired me to keep writing and I will definitely finish the story I promise. **

**Thanks again, **

**Lady Piwah**

Chapter 37

"_Damn it what am I going to do? What was he doing there? How could he just 'bump' into Phoebe like that? I have wondered what I would do were I to come face to face with him again and of all the scenarios I had run through in my mind, this was not one of them. Everything is going to be ruined if he gets involved. Gods, I can't even bear to write his name since I saw him. It's as if writing his name will make me powerless to deny the feelings I still have and I have to deny them…if I wan to survive, I have to deny them."_

"_This is bad, very bad. Roger is already suspicious of him since that meeting at the Manor. It's partly my fault. For a moment there I let me guard down and I know it is going to cost me but I have to grin and bear it. At least for a little while longer. But with him digging into things, it is going to be very difficult. I'm just grateful my sisters have no idea what is going on. By the looks of it he hasn't told them his suspicions. It's strange how after all this time I can still read him like a book. I know what he is thinking and I know what he would probably do if he found out he was right. But no matter how much I might want to run to him and tell him everything and let him protect me, it wouldn't be like that. I couldn't let that happen without telling him everything and if he knew he would hate me. So, I have to carry on with my plan and hope for the best. If it works, then I can think about make amends for the past. Right now though, I have to concentrate on living long enough to do that."_

"So, she was planning to escape from him without us knowing what was going on and she thought you might spoil the plan somehow? That doesn't make sense. She knew you were a police officer – she knew you could offer protection against Roger so why not take it. Surely she could see that was the best option?" Phoebe said, amazed at her sister's thinking.

"We might be able to see it as her best option but that's not to say she did." Darryl said, speaking for the first time since they had begun reading the diaries. When everyone looked at him with a questioning look, he continued his train of thought.

"Well it's like she said. She knew she wouldn't be able to accept Andy's help without telling him about the baby because of the guilt she still felt. And she believed, for whatever reason, that if Andy knew the whole truth, he would want nothing to do with her. Now we may know that he wouldn't abandon her, she didn't. It was a huge step for her to plan to escape Roger but that didn't mean she felt less worthless than before. It just means she knew she had to escape or die and she probably didn't want to put her sisters through that kind of pain and suffering."

When no-one interrupted, Darryl continued.

"Again, we come back to her 'duty' to you, her sisters. Everything she did she perceived to be in your best interests, whether it be protecting you from Roger or from pain. We may not be able to understand her reasoning, but then we have never had cause to feel the kind of shame, worthlessness and pain she has felt."

After a moment's silence Phoebe said "I guess I hadn't thought of it from that way before. I still find it unbelievable that Prue has been through all of this and we had no idea. It's feels as if this is all a dream and I am going to wake up any moment to find everything as I believed it was. But that's not going to happen is it? This is really happening and my big sister is suffering and has been for more years than I care to think about right now." Phoebe looked away from everyone towards her unconscious sister.

"I remember when we were little after Mom had died. As a child, I absolutely worshipped Prue. I didn't think there was anyone better in the world and she was everything to me. She used to read me stories at bed time, she used to cheer me up when I was upset about something and she used to sneak me my favourite treats when Grams wasn't looking", Phoebe continued, with a wistful smile of remembrance upon her face. "I knew even at a young age that she would do absolutely anything for me, and I knew that she loved me so much. She used to tell me so every night but I would have known it whether she had said or not."

"But I remember that just sometimes, I would catch her looking out the window, or ay a point in the distance only she could see, and she had a sad look on her face. I didn't know the reason for it, I was only a child, but I remember thinking that it was my turn to cheer her up at those times."

"I remember you used to tickle her, or bring her a sweet, or just simply hug her." Piper said, looking at Prue. "You always managed to bring her round and I always felt slightly jealous of that. Looking back now, I had no reason too. Prue and I spent time together in a different way as we were closer in age. She would confide in me about boys as we got older and she would always give me all the details of her dates. I guess that was our thing. After all, you and I went through swimming lessons together, and camp. We shared those things without Prue. But do you remember the one thing we always did as a threesome Phoebe?" Piper asked a ghost of a smile on her face.

"Movie sleepins!" Phoebe replied, breaking into the first real smile she had given since this whole nightmare had begun. When Andy and Morris looked at them as if they had grown another head, Phoebe explained. "We used to take the TV up to one of our rooms when a movie was on. The three of us would snuggle under the covers with popcorn, soda and other snacks and watch the movies together. We used to put a sign on the door saying 'Keep Out – Sister's Only' so Grams wouldn't come in. Sometimes we would actually watch the movie and other times we would just talk over it."

"What did you talk about?" Andy asked, keen to hear more about the happier times for the sisters.

"We well were still quite young when we started so we used to pester Prue for stories about Mom and Dad. We had no way of knowing back then how painful that topic must have been for her." Piper said with a sad look.

"When we were older, Prue used to tell us stories about how she was going to marry you Andy, and how we could live with you both and we'd be one big happy family. Now I think about it, we never thought to ask why Grams couldn't live with us too but it didn't seem to matter I guess. Prue was able to talk for hours about the plans you guys were making and how happy you made her. She used to light up from the inside when she said your name and she had this glint in her eye. We were young but not too young not to recognise that our sister was in love."

"She told you guys our plans?" Andy asked, a shadow passing across his face as he remembered all the plans they had discussed.

"Yeah she did. She said we should get used to the ides of you being our brother cos she planned to have you in her life for a very long time." Phoebe replied, moving to hold Prue's hand gently.

A long silence followed as everyone thought about that final statement. There were so many what ifs? that could be said. But they all knew that they wouldn't change a thing right now. Right now they needed to get back to Prue's diaries. Since finding recent entries, they had all thought but not voiced the possibility of Prue having written about something in detail which could incriminate Roger. For while she had talked about leaving him and that he had been abusive, she had only mentioned it in general, and if they were going to be successful against him in court, they would need details.


	38. Revelations and Reawakenings

**Chapter 38**

"_He is still digging around and it is starting to really grate on Roger's nerves. I think Roger suspects how I feel about him but he hasn't come right out and asked…yet. I know it is only a matter of time and I just have to hope that when he does I will be convincing. Since that moment at the Manor when he held me in his arms, I haven't been able to think about anything else. I can still see the concern in his eyes as I opened my eyes after 'fainting', he looked so worried. For a moment, I could pretend that there was no-one else in the room and that the past had never happened. I was able to pretend that we were simply 2 people in love, enjoying being in each other's arms. But then I heard Roger's voice and reality came crashing in. HE didn't love me anymore – hadn't for a long time. And as much as I might like to indulge myself by telling myself that his concern in because he is still in love with me, I know deep down the real reason is simply because it's his job. And that reality hurts more than anything Roger has ever done to me because God help me, I still love him. There, I said it. I love him. I love Andy. Now I've said it, I need to be able to move past this and concentrate on escaping Roger. If I am going to succeed I need to forget about how I feel and concentrate on the plan at hand."_

Andy felt his voice break on the last words as he said them and his eyes flooded quickly. Abruptly he stood and turned his back on the others in the room, giving himself time to find his composure. 'How can she think what I felt for her would disappear completely?' he thought to himself as he struggled to regain his grip on his emotions. 'She still loves me' he thought. Andy stood stock still in the room as he grappled with his warring emotions. Whilst he knew he was in love with Prue, he had to face the reality that she wasn't the same person he had known. And that scared him more than he dared admit.

Andy heard a movement behind him but was too caught up in his thoughts to think about it, until he heard Phoebe continue reading from the diary he had put down when he finished the last chapter.

"_I can still see her face as she was bent over that table. I know it wasn't the first time he had been with this one – she must be a favourite as I have seen them together in comprising positions before. Since it happened, not once has Roger brought up the subject either for an apology, an explanation or a telling off. It's as if it never happened and I simply got mugged. He hasn't even apologised like he usually does when he does these things to me. But even if he did, it doesn't matter anymore. I am free of his control although he doesn't know it yet. I have to keep pretending for a little while longer. I finally made contact with my old contact from college and he has promised to work as quickly as he can to get me what I need."_

Andy returned to his seat and continued to listen, finding it easier to deal with the revelations when someone else was reading them aloud.

"_I know my sisters will be upset for a little while to think that I am dead but I have to do it for their safety and mine. If Roger even suspects a thing, he will harm them to find me. He may not love me or want me as a wife in the way it matters, but he couldn't stand the knock to his pride and manhood if people found out that I left him. I now know that getting involved with me was only a way of securing his job at the museum and after that it was simply for show. I guess I should have worked that out when he first started asking me out but I was blind to it. Some people would say I was so desperate to have someone want me, be interested in me, love me just for being me, that I was willing to believe anything. Who knows? Maybe they are right but it is something I guess we will never really know for sure. One thing I do know for sure though, is that this plan is the only hope I have of surviving and repairing my life without tearing my sisters' apart. It has to work or I will never forgive myself. Grams was right – I must protect them at all costs – regardless the price."_

The silence was deafening. The noise of the machines Prue was connected to seemed to fade to nothing in light of the words Phoebe had just read. Everyone in the room had assumed she planned to run away, pure and simple. Not once had it crossed anyone's mind that she might have been planning to fake her own death.

Andy felt his blood begin to boil in his veins. "How dare he use such an incredible woman for something as meaningless as a job or for show! She is worth so much more than that. And to cheat on her – repeatedly. God knows if I could get my hands on him right now he'd be dead. To drive her to believe that faking her own death was best for everybody – Christ this guy has destroyed her completely and I am not going to let him get away with it." As he finished, Andy visibly shrank back into his chair as the fight left him and his eyes drifted towards Prue again.

Piper meanwhile held her anger in check until Andy was done. But her anger wasn't directed at Roger, it was directed at Prue. Standing up and moving even closer to the bed, Piper shouted, "How could you possibly think that faking your own death wouldn't hurt us? How could you possibly think we could get over it quickly? How can you not realise that you are the very thing that keeps us both going? You have been there for us through everything in our lives – how could you think we would be fine without having you there for all the other things like our weddings, like our children, like Christmas, birthdays and Thanksgivings? How can you possibly think that? ANSWER ME DAMMIT! ANSWER ME PRUE – YOU OWE US BOTH THAT MUCH. I WANT YOU TO WAKE UP OUT OF THIS STUPID COMA AND ANSWER ME!" Piper had a hold of both of Prue's arms and was starting to shake her. Darryl reached out and grabbed hold of her before she did any damage to her sister and held her tightly in his arms.

Phoebe had begun crying and Andy was just looking at everyone in shock not knowing what to do or say. As he was about to say something he looked at his partner who gently shook his head no. Interrupting his look to mean not now, Andy sat back slightly and looked towards Phoebe who was beginning to quiet.

Morris knew he had tell them about the videotapes. He had to put a stop to this torture. They had the evidence and while it might be a better case with something from Prue herself, either in testimony or diary, the truth was this was killing the sisters and his partner and he had to stop it now.

As Piper gently extricated herself from his arms, wiping her eyes and offering a grateful half smile, she returned to her seat and Morris knew the time had come.

"Um I have something you should all know before we carry on. With recent events in the hospital and with the diaries I hadn't had a chance to tell you what was found in the search of Roger's house. It is enough to get us a conviction on several counts, although we all know testimony from Prue would be better. But reading these diaries is destroying each and every one of you, and you are all going to need to be strong to help Prue when she eventually wakes up. So I think you guys should stop reading now."

Everyone looked at Morris, half grateful, a little annoyed but also curious. Andy was the first to find his voice. "Why didn't you say anything man? We could of saved ourselves a whole lot of pain here."

"I know and I'm sorry. It honestly slipped my mind when you started to read the diaries. Honestly man. I would never put anyone through that kind of pain on purpose you know that. I left a message on your cell when I first made the discovery but forgot to ask you if you had got it" Morris replied, feeling guilty for his slip.

"Damn it! There was a message on my phone, I just didn't bother to check it earlier." Andy said.

Piper had regained her composure enough to ask the inevitable question "What did you find?"

"I'm not sure you want to know the answer to that. It is pretty sick – even I was horrified by what I saw."

Not letting up for a second all three replied at the same time, "Tell us. We want to know"

"Ok then." Morris replied. Taking a deep breath he said, "It seems Roger has more of a dark, sadistic side that we imagined. We searched the property thoroughly but the only evidence we found came from their bedroom. We noticed something was wrong with the structure and discovered a hidden small room which had cameras and recording equipment focused on the bedroom. We found loads and loads of tapes and it was horrific."

Looking at all three in turn, he could tell from their looks on their faces that they wanted him to continue – they wanted to know everything. Stealing himself for their reactions to what he was about to reveal, Morris fixed his eyes on the floor in front of him and continued. "Roger filmed his attacks on Prue. They date back a long way. I only checked one of the recent tapes I could find – it was filmed about 6 weeks ago. I didn't watch it all – I couldn't. What I did see was pure evil at work – he took sadistic pleasure from putting Prue through any kind of torture he could come up with, while she was conscious and unconscious. I have no doubt that the other tapes will be the same. And judging by the sheer quantity of tapes, I would say this has been going on for a long time. I hate to tell you think, but he has been putting Prue through probably years of systematic abuse – mental, physical and I hate to tell you this but sexual too."

Morris kept looking at the floor, scared to look at the others, afraid of their reactions.

Before anyone could react or say anything, an unexpected voice sounded throughout the room.

"Please help me", Prue uttered as her eyes fluttered open.


	39. The Moment of Truth

Chapter 39

No-one moved. Everyone was staring at the pale, tired looking woman in the bed but no-one was able to process what she was trying to say to them. Her mouth was moving but it was as if they couldn't hear her words.

Andy was the first to recover and his movement towards and through the door shook everyone else out of their stupors. Phoebe and Piper made their way to either side of their sisters bed and each took a hand, making sure they didn't knock any of the wires Prue was still hooked up to. Tears were running down their cheeks as each looked into the eyes of their sister for the first time in what felt like a lifetime before Prue's eyes slowly drifted closed again.

Panic gripped Piper and Phoebe as they desperately looked at each other, mirroring each others thoughts that maybe Prue had slipped back into the coma. Starling them both, Darryl spoke up from his spot near the door.

"It's ok. She won't have fallen back into the coma. Although to us she has simply been asleep for a long time when patients wake from comas they are often exhausted and can only maintain contact for short periods. Trust me, I have seen enough of these to know it's normal" Darryl said, glad that his words had some effect as both sisters seemed to visibly relax at his words.

The door banged open suddenly and medical staff began pouring into the room, swarming around Prue and bustling her sisters and the 2 detectives out of the room. Piper became aware of a page sounding throughout the hospital requesting the attendance of Drs Wyatt and Jessup and before she knew what was happening, the 2 men were moving passed her and closing the door to her sisters' room behind them.

The Doctors moved around Prue quickly and efficiently carrying out a battery of tests. Bane worked in a detached manner, unsure of how to deal with the situation now Prue was awake. He had been struggling to assess his feelings since reliving his memories of his time with Prue and even now when he knew he should have his full concentration on what he was doing, a small part of him was dwelling on those memories.

Talking about his time with Prue had opened up a well inside of him which he had believed buried forever. He had accepted long ago that Prue would never return his feelings and he had endeavoured to bury them deep so that he would never have to face them and deal with them ever again. But now, faced with her, her family, and the missing information about her past he was suddenly overwhelmed by the rush of emotion he felt. But he had a job to do he silently reminded himself, and forcing himself to banish his thoughts of feelings, he concentrated on the information being passed between the various nurses and Dr Wyatt and added his assessments to the melee.

Outside the small room, Andy was pacing the hallway like a man possessed. His mind was reeling at what might be happening in the room he had spent so much time in recently. He had never really allowed himself to believe that Prue would wake up for a variety of reasons. If she woke up, he had to confront the possibility that she would never be the same person he had once known and for some reason that scared him more than anything. There was also the possibility that she would wake up and have no long or short term memory and the idea that she might not remember their time together so long haunted him in his dreams.

Finally, there was the fact that he would at some point have to confront his feelings about the situation, about the case and about Prue. He had learnt so much in recent days that he had still not processed everything. However, he did know one thing – the woman lying in that hospital bed had suffered more than any one person should be allowed to suffer and he had to accept some blame for that. He knew from her diaries that he had caused her heartache when they were younger and the knowledge that when he left her she had been pregnant made his heart ache.

Andy was a realist however. He also knew that her grandmother, were she still alive, would have to accept some responsibility for what had happened in her life, and God knows, Roger had the largest portion of blame out of all of them. In all his years as a cop, Andy had never come across a perp so twisted, psychopathic and evil as it was becoming clear Roger was. How someone could do everything he had done to someone he proclaimed to love was beyond Andy's capacity to understand.

Andy knew the coming days, weeks and months were going to be some of the hardest Prue and her sisters had ever faced, and he was determined that no matter what, he would be there to support and help them through it if they would let him. But he also knew that at some point he was going to have to decide to do about his feelings for his former sweetheart and he knew that that decision would hinge on Prue and her recovery more than his own personal choice. Andy knew, that from this point forward, Prue was going to have to come first, dictate everything in her life including that of contact and interaction with friends and family and he knew he would respect any choices she made regardless of how he felt or what he really wanted. Prue was the priority and he would make sure everyone knew that and followed his lead.

Phoebe and Piper stood arms around each other, staring at the door they had recently walked through. They could both feel hope bubbling up inside themselves, making it's way to the surface to mix with vague feelings of guilt. Until this moment, they had not allowed themselves the luxury of hope. Hope that Prue would wake up. Hope that Prue would survive and live to tell the tale. Hope that Prue would be able to answer all their questions.

But with that hope now came the realisation that maybe Prue had been able to hear them whilst she was in the coma as the Doctors had explained she might. That thought scared both of them just a little bit because they both knew they had said some strong words to their unconscious sister. Words that now she was awake seemed unfair and selfish.

After an hour of tests Leo and Bane dismissed the rest of the medical team and when the room was empty they turned to Prue. It was time to find out whether Prue was suffering from any degree of amnesia and if so, the extent of it.

It took only a few minutes for Prue to come round again and they gave her a moment to adjust to her surroundings. Bane allowed Leo to take the lead initially and he would step in later.

"Miss Halliwell? Prue? My name is Dr Leo Wyatt, I am a Doctor here at San Francisco Memorial Hospital. How do you feel?"

Prue had an uncertain, scared look on her face. Leo knew this was fairly standard in patients who had recently woken from a coma but he also had to keep in mind the fact that this woman had suffered years of systematic abuse. There was no telling at this moment which factor was the cause for her fear.

"It's ok Miss Halliwell, you're safe. You were involved in an accident and you have been in a coma. What is the last thing you remember?" Leo asked gently, being careful not to scare the frightened woman.

Reluctantly, Prue began to speak. "The last thing I remember is………I don't know. I can't think of anything. Everything seems hazy and……far away. I cant……what did you say my name was?"

And there it was. The answer to their most important question. They hadn't even had to dig deep for it. Prue was suffering from complete amnesia. Bane stood, shook to the core. He had hoped above all hope that this would not be the case. He didn't want to have to tell her sisters and ex that she had no recollection of who she was, how she got there or who they were but he was going to have to.

Signalling to Leo, Bane stepped forward to address Prue. "It's ok. This is common following a bump on the head. Just rest now and we will come back and see you later. OK?" Bane said, smiling gently at Prue.

Prue felt a little more at ease with his words, and nodded silently before closing her eyes and the tiredness washed over her again.

Walking out of the room, both men were instantly surrounded by the 4 people who had kept such a vigil since Prue had been brought in. Leo looked at Bane with a silent question in his eyes. Bane nodded gently and Leo began talking.

"Initial tests show that Prue is healing well from her injuries. I should expect a full recovery although it is going to be slow going. The extent of her injuries means that her body is going to take a long time to fully recover and we would expect to keep her in hospital for at least another week."

All 4 let out breaths they hadn't been aware they were holding an their shoulders straightened slightly, as if a weight had been lifted from them. Bane could see this and he hated himself for what he was about to say to them.

"Following just a brief conversation with Prue when she was awake we have been able to make a preliminary diagnosis on the memory issue. Over the next week I will be completing more comprehensive in depth tests for further detailed information but at present, I'm sorry to have to tell you the news is not good."

Waiting for the news to sink in before continuing, Bane looked at each person in turn to assess their reactions. The sisters both looked shocked and scared at the same time. Her ex-boyfriend looked more stunned than the others, obviously rocked by the revelation. The other officer seemed to be taking the news in his stride but then from what Bane knew, he was the one who knew Prue the least.

Taking a deep breath he continued. "Upon simple questioning by Dr Wyatt, it became apparent quickly that Prue has no memory left what so ever to the point she did not ever know her own name. She could not recollect any last memories and her answers to this question indicate complete memory loss. Now at present, we don't know whether this is temporary or not and that is what I will be trying to determine. Many people when they first wake from comas can suffer loss of memory and recover it in days and weeks. Some on the other hand, never recover it and that is where I come in. I promise you all, I will do everything in my power to help Prue."

Shocked beyond belief Prue's sisters seemed unable to comprehend the enormity of what they had just been told. Andy on the other hand looked utterly devastated. Bane could understand his pain – he felt the same although to a much lesser extent he had no doubt. Andy however, was the first to recover enough to ask the question both Doctors were waiting for.

"Can we see her?"


	40. Starting Anew

**AUTHORS NOTE**

_Just a quick note to all those who have been reading the story and sending feedback - Thank You so much. I am sorry for the huge delay between chapters - there is a reason which involves moving house a lot and a hyperactive keyboard, but i wouldn't want to bore you._

_I know this chapter is only small but it is going to take a little while for the creative juices to flow more readily. Rest assured though, I do have the story planned right to the end, I just need to add some flesh to the skeleton I have now. I promise the next update will be a LOT quicker!_

_Lady Piwah_

Chapter 40

"Ok, this is where things get tricky. Yes, you can see her but in this kind of situation, there are a few do's and don'ts you have to be aware of. First of all, be prepared to be hurt."

"What do you mean Dr Jessup?", Piper asked, anxious to see her sister once more. To Piper, it felt as if it had been months or years since she had seen her sister and in some respects that was true. Piper felt as if it had been many years since she had seen the real Prue and that tore at her heart. But Piper knew she had to be strong. Right now, in this situation, she was the big sister and she had to be strong for both Phoebe and Prue.

"Well in my experience, no matter how much someone tries to prepare themselves, it is always hard to accept that someone you have known your whole life does not know who you are. If she cannot remember her own name, then we can expect that she will not recognised either of you as her sisters or even her first love. It is extremely distressing when it happens, and you just need to be aware that it is going to hurt, but no matter how I try to prepare you for it, nothing will ever be enough. Trust me on that."

"Secondly, I know this is going to be difficult, but you cannot at this stage prompt her about her memories, or lack thereof and under no circumstances ask any questions which would require prior knowledge. Keep it simple. If she asks you any questions, by all means answer them as truthfully as possible but just remember that until we know the extent of her amnesia and exactly what we are dealing with, anything more than simple could do more harm than good."

"If you'll excuse me, I am going to start the ball rolling on the necessities for the tests we'll be carrying out. If you need anything simply have me paged. I'm hoping we'll be able to start the tests first thing tomorrow. In the meantime, enjoy some quality time with Prue and don't be too alarmed if she drifts in and out of sleep. She is going to be exhausted for a while yet." Having said that, Bane motioned to Leo and bidding their goodbyes, the 2 doctors strode down the corridor leaving 4 very anxious, worried people behind them.

Looking at the people around him, Darryl decided to leave them to it for a while knowing that now was a time for close friends and family and since he didn't qualify, his time would be better spent on the case against Roger.

"I'm going to head back the station and get a further update on the case, see if they need any help. If any of you need anything, you have my number. Good luck with Prue" he said, and then shook his partners hand before walking away from the group.

Andy watched his partners retreating back until he turned a corner, which brought his attention back to

Piper and Phoebe as they stood outside Prue's door, both unsure and scared. Piper was the first to speak.

"Should we all go in together or one at a time?" she asked, unsure of what would be best for her sister but also scared to go it alone, unsure of what she might find on the other side of the door.

In that split moment, Andy made a decision which he believed would be best all round. He could see the fear on the faces of the 2 women in front of him, and he knew that right now more than 2 people would probably freak Prue out and that thought made his heart ache. He had sworn he would never again cause her pain and that promise was already in effect.

"I think it would be best if you girls went in first. We don't want to crowd Prue and right now, I know that you are both desperate to see her, no matter how scared you are right now. By doing it together, you will have each other for support and also be together as a family – cos that is what you are now. A family. You are all each other has, so some quality time together is just what is needed. I know they say Prue has complete memory loss, but regardless, the bond of sisters is hard to erase even if she may not realise that is what she is feeling. I'm going stay out here a while and try and get my head together ok? If you need me, just come and get me." He said, giving them a reassuring smile, for him as much as them.

Piper moved in front of Andy, reached up on tip toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you Andy. For everything. For your thoughtfulness, your kindness, your support, advice and shoulder to cry on. I don't think we could have got through this without you and I know Prue is going to feel the same by the end of this nightmare."

With that, Piper turned, and holding Phoebe's hand, they gently moved into Prue's room. As the door slid closed behind them, Andy allowed his gaze to linger on the image he had caught a glimpse of – Prue, eyes open, lying on crisp white sheets looking lost and lonely, just as she had that day he had caught up to her by the swings when she was upset about her mother. As the door finally closed, Andy slowly moved to the nearby seat and slumped into it as all the tension was released from his body, leaving him exhausted but with an aura of hope shining around him.


	41. A Bond Reforged

Chapter 41

Prue looked up as Piper and Phoebe entered the room and she looked at them intently. As the girls moved to sit either side of Prue's bed, confusion and frustration were clearly etched on Prue's face. As she studied each woman intently, she couldn't for the life of her remember a name or anything connected with these 2 women.

But she could feel something nagging at the back of her mind as if someone were knocking on a little door into her memory, begging to be let in. There was a……familiarity about them the more she concentrated on them, but she couldn't grasp anything in particular.

Once they were seated, silence filled the room. All three of them could feel it like a weight bearing down on them but Prue felt it more. She already had an exhausted feeling coupled with confusion and fear and the silence was magnifying those feelings further. As the silence continued, Prue began to worry. She didn't know these people and they had just walked into her hospital room sat down and not said a word. Right now they were staring at each other and Prue didn't know what was going on.

Neither Piper or Phoebe knew what to say. What were they supposed to say to their sister who didn't remember them a all? Where do you start with something that huge? They knew one of them should say something and soon because the silence was beginning to stretch endlessly ahead of them and they were both feeling more and more awkward. As they stared at each other, silently entreating the other to speak, without warning a machine started to beep warning sounds and both their gazes were drawn towards their prone sister.

The machine next to Prue was beeping loudly and showed that Prue's oxygen levels were dropping fast whilst her heart rate increased at an alarming rate. Looking at their sister's face, both immediately realised they had waited too long to speak. They had obviously freaked Prue out and now she had started hyper-ventilating.

Before either of them had a chance to raise the alarm, Andy came bursting in through the door having been alerted by the loud noise. Taking one look at the situation, he bellowed down the corridor for a nurse or doctor to attend and then made his way towards Prue.

Not thinking or taking the time to assess his options, Andy moved to the head of bed and gently stroked Prue's face, reaching slowly to take one of her hands before rubbing slow circles around her palm. He bent down slowly and began whispering slowly in Prue's ear so that the others could barely hear him.

"Sshh, it's ok sweetheart. It's ok. No-one's going to hurt you. They are your sisters sweetheart, they're here to look after you. They love you sweetheart I promise. Just calm down for me ok? Just slow down and start taking slow deep breaths. Come on baby, I know you can do this. Just listen to my voice. Follow the flow of my voice and alter your breathing to follow it. Please sweetheart, if you keep this up the Doctors are going to put you back on oxygen and we don't want that hmmm?" Andy continued murmuring as medical staff moved into the room.

Dr Jessup had arrived first and at the sight that greeted him, his heart lurched slightly. Walking towards Piper, Bane watched Andy with Prue and was filled with an envious admiration for the way he dealt with the precious woman in distress who had touched both their lives profoundly.

Confident that Andy had things under control Bane turned his attention to Piper. "What happened Ms Halliwell?" he asked, as gently as possible as he was sure she would be feeling awful right about now.

"Nothing happened. We came in. We sat down. Neither of us knew what to say and we were both trying to work up to when the alarms started going off. What did we do wrong? How could we do something wrong when we didn't do anything?" Piper asked, upset at her sisters reaction to her,

Piper had been prepared for the fact her sister wouldn't remember her but that was the last thing she had expected. Tears came unbidden to her eyes and she recalled the look of fear in her sisters eyes as the alarms had sounded.

"It's ok Ms Halliwell, you didn't do anything wrong per se. If I were to hazard a guess it was probably the silence that did it. Imagine, if you will, lying in a bed, in a strange place, having just woken up from a coma with absolutely no recollection of who you are or what has happened. Now imagine seeing 2 people walk into your room, who you don't recognise, sit down and then not say anything. What do you think your reaction would be?" Bane replied as gently as possible. At the end of the day they hadn't known their silence would trigger such a reaction and he should have thought to tell them.

"How stupid could we have been? We just didn't think. We didn't know what to say. And the longer we were silent the harder it became to think of something to say." Phoebe replied, angry with herself for not realising sooner.

"I should have said something before you went in. I should have made sure you were prepared for what to say. I'm sorry." He said, pausing to look at Prue and check her progress.

In Andy's arms Prue's breathing has almost returned to normal and he could tell she was listening intently to whatever Andy was now whispering in her ear. His voice had dropped to the point that only Prue and Andy knew what was being said.

"Why don't we leave the room for a little while. Inspector Trudeau has everything under control for now and with any luck, judging by the way she responded to him, he may be able to make some progress with her."

Both sisters could only begrudgingly agree and follow the Doctor out of the room. They both felt like failures. But they also felt as if they had caused their sister more pain through their thoughtless actions and that hurt them more than anything else.

Now all they could do was sit and wait, and hope that the incredible bond Andy and Prue had once shared would prove as strong as ever and aid in her recovery.

Inside the room, Andy had moved closer to the bed so that he could be comfortable whilst he stroked Prue's hair and held her hand gently. He was only vaguely aware of the Doctor coming and then leaving with Piper and Phoebe, his attention fully focused on the woman calming under his touch.

He could see her eyes becoming heavier and heavier and continued to whisper to her until she feel asleep. And long after she had fallen into a calm, peaceful slumber, Andy was still murmuring comforting words into her ear.


	42. Familiarity

Chapter 42

As Prue's eyes fluttered opened slowly, she became aware of someone holding her hand. Turning her head on the pillow slightly, she looked down to the see the man who had calmed her the night before. He was asleep with his head by her side, still holding onto her hand tightly.

Prue studied him intently. As memories of the night before flooded her brain, she could only look at him in awe. How had he managed to calm her down? How did her know exactly what to say to calm her? Were those 2 women really her sisters? Who was this man to her? Question after question fired around her mind and as quickly as she tried to answer one, another came along to distract her thoughts.

Prue could feel her panic building and knew she needed to control it or she would wake the man currently sleeping peacefully by her side. Remembering his words from the night before, Prue took deep breaths, concentrating on the feel of his hand and the warmth it provided her.

Once calm, Prue studied Andy's face once more. Something about him seemed so……reassuring. Familiar even. She couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was, but looking at him closely, she felt safe knowing he was there. And his smell…she guessed it was coming from him because it too seemed familiar.

Reaching out slowly, Prue gently ran her fingers through his hair. She couldn't explain why she did it – all she knew was something inside of her was telling her it was a natural reaction to this man.

As she carried on stroking his hair, Andy began to wake and was instantly affected by the hand running through his hair. He didn't need to open his eyes and look to know it was Prue. He just knew deep down in his gut.

When they had been together they would spend hours at the beach talking, Andy's head in Prue's lap whilst she stroked his hair. It was one of the things they loved to do together. It was relaxing for both of them, especially when combined with the sounds of the ocean all around them.

Realising that he needed to say something before he allowed his mind to wander further, he opened his eyes slowly and gazed at Prue. It took a few seconds for her to become aware that Andy was looking at her and when she did, she jumped slightly, caught off-guard and moved her hand away instantly.

Unperturbed, Andy squeezed the hand he was still holding and sat up in the chair, adjusting his clothing slightly.

"Good morning", he said gently, looking at Prue directly with unwavering clam eyes.

"Um, hi. I'm sorry for…um…waking you. I didn't mean to disturb you, I just uh…" Prue suddenly looked away, unable to complete the sentence as she couldn't put into words why she had done it!

"That's ok Prue, I don't mind. Truth be told it's been a while since you did that to me and I'd forgotten how much I used to enjoy it" Andy said, deciding honesty was best.

Prue's eyes widened at Andy's words. "You mean, I've done that to you before? You know me?"

"Yes I know you Prue. I've known you for a long time – since we were kids in fact but that's not important at the moment. What's important is that you get better and get your memory back. And I'll do everything I can to help with that" Andy said, trying to keep things simple.

"Well thanks, I'd appreciate the help. So, maybe you can start by telling me your name and then telling me who those 2 girls were last night" Prue said, resolving to learn as much as she could about her former life, and in particular this man. There was something about him she felt drawn to and it intrigued her.

"Sorry I guess I should have introduced myself first. My name is Andy, Andy Trudeau and I'm an Inspector with the local police force. The 2 girls last night were your sisters. The youngest is called Phoebe and she's your baby sister. The other girl was Piper and she's the middle child, which of course, makes you the oldest."

"Wow, I have 2 younger sisters huh? What about parents? Where are they?" Prue asked, craving more information.

"Listen Prue. We need to do this properly. The doctors have said we shouldn't prompt you too much about the past as we need your memory to come back on its own. I thought you should know about your sisters to avoid last night happening again. They were worried, and scared, and relieved and they didn't know what to say. The doctors were right. Nothing can prepare you for someone you have known your entire life not recognising you or remembering who you are to them. They were upset and frightened I guess. They love you very much."

Taking a moment to digest everything Prue tried to push herself to remember something, anything about anyone in her life prior to waking up in the hospital but nothing was happening.

Andy could tell Prue was becoming frustrated with herself and her lack of memory. He had guessed she would very quickly, as no matter what Prue had forgotten she still had the same traits as she did before the memory loss. And one of Prue's dominant traits was determination. Once she was aware she had no recollection of her life, he had known she would put her everything into recovering those memories.

"Tell you what. I'm going to go fetch your sisters. I know they are desperate to talk to you, make sure you're ok. Maybe being with them and talking to them will prompt something. The 3 of you share such an amazing, tight bond; I wouldn't be surprised if it helped in some way."

As Prue nodded her head in consent, Andy got up from the chair and went to leave. Before he got the chance, Prue tugged gently on the hand she was still holding. "Will you…will you come back later? I don't know what it is but there I something familiar and comforting about you and I think it will help" Prue said, looking down at her hands, embarrassed at asking him.

"Of course. I have a few things to do at work, but I will swing by later, ok?"

"Ok. Thanks Andy. For last night and for today" Prue said, smiling gently at him.

"Anytime, sweetheart", he said before realising he had used the affectionate term. Smiling at her briefly, Andy turned and left the room quickly, kicking himself for being so familiar with her when she had no idea who he was.


	43. Connections

Chapter 43

Piper and Phoebe sat opposite each other across the breakfast table, both silent as they ate their cereal in silence. After waiting several hours the night before for Andy to return with news, they went to check on him and their sister. What they had seen had made them smile for the first time since all of this had begun.

The sight of Andy asleep holding Prue's hand had warmed their hearts and reminded them of a time long ago when that had seemed the most natural thing in the world to witness. They knew at that point that there was nothing more they could do that night, and the longer they stood looking into the room, the more they felt as if they were intruding. They felt like voyeurs and decided to go home and get a good night sleep. They hoped following some sleep they would be better prepared to deal with what lay ahead.

As the silence grew, both sisters were lost in their own thoughts. The last few weeks had been a blur to say they least and they had not had time to process the huge amounts of information they had. The main thing both sisters kept coming back to was what Morris had had to report just before Prue had woken up.

Piper had images in her mind. She knew they weren't real but based on what Morris had described from the video. She didn't want them in her mind. But she couldn't stop them. She couldn't stop the feelings either. With the images came feelings – to be more exact what Prue may have been feeling during the attacks. And it made her sick to her stomach that Prue had been experiencing that and Piper had had no idea.

Realistically she knew it was not her fault she had not known because if nothing else, Prue was always an expert at hiding her feelings. Reading her diaries had proven that because Piper would never have guessed in a million years that Prue had had a termination all those years ago.

Piper looked across the table at Phoebe and could tell she was thinking the same things. When Phoebe looked at her, Piper could see unshed tears in her eyes. Getting up and moving her chair closer to her sister, Piper wordlessly sat down again and pulled her sister into her arms and they both began to cry.

Five minutes later, the doorbell rang, and Piper gently let go of Phoebe and moved towards the front door, wiping her eyes as she went. When she opened the door, she was a little surprised to find Andy standing at the door.

"Andy, is Prue ok? Has anything happened?" Piper said, before Andy could say a word.

"No, it's ok Piper. Prue's doing ok. Same as last night. I just thought I should come over and let you know she is awake and expecting you." Andy said, as Piper lead him into the kitchen where Phoebe was now clearing their breakfast dishes and making a fresh pot of coffee.

"Sorry about last night. I was going to come out and let you know she was ok, but by the time I was confident she was asleep and breathing well, I put my head down for a minute in relief and feel asleep. I didn't wake until this morning when Prue was stroking my hair" he added with the ghost of a small smile.

If he were to perfectly honest with himself, he would have to admit that just that small, unconscious gesture this morning had given him more hope than ever before. It gave birth to a deep seated belief that everything was going to be ok eventually.

"We did check on you last night before coming home but you looked so peaceful sleeping that we didn't want to disturb you. Both of you seemed somehow content and it was nice to see for a change. Does Prue remember you at all?" Phoebe asked.

"Not exactly remember. She couldn't really explain why she had been stroking my hair but I got the impression it was a compulsion of some sort. In my eyes that is a good sign."

"Well yeah, I guess it is" Piper said. "It certainly suggests Prue may have had a feeling of similarity or something similar. Maybe an unconscious feeling and compulsion. How was she this morning when you left?"

"She was ok. A little embarrassed and very grateful. I promised her that you 2 would be in to see her as soon as possible. She did start asking questions, which we expected from Prue. She asked who I was, were you really her sisters. I explained that we had been friends since we were kids and that you were her younger sisters. She then asked about her parents. I figured we should stick to only small bits of information to begin with until we see if anything starts coming back to her. At least that is what the Doctors said isn't it?"

"Yes, I think you might be right. But still, I think we should still show her some photographs maybe. You know, just ones of us and maybe some with you in Andy. Since she seems to be accepting of you and what you've told her that seems a good place to start doesn't it?" Piper said, eager to see and talk to her big sister once more.

"Well I certainly don't think it could hurt. While you spend some quality bonding time, I am going to check in at the station with Morris and the others on the case, to find out what has been happening. I promised your sister I would swing by again later so I'll see you there and fill you in ok?" Andy said, getting up to leave.

"Ok. Thanks Andy. For everything. I don't know how we would have coped without you through all of this." Piper said, as she followed him to the door.

"See you later" Andy said, as he made his way down the steps to his car.

Roger sat quietly in the back of the patrol car that driving him back to San Francisco. The booking at the other police station hadn't taken long and he wasn't unduly concerned about having to face that charge.

But whilst there he had overheard the cops talking about the case against him in San Francisco. He was starting to sweat just a little when he heard that investigating officers had found diaries that Prue had left behind but at the same time figured he could paint a picture of her as delusional.

However, when they had gone on to say the cops had found his secret closet in the bedroom he began to panic. He knew that meant he had found the tapes and he knew that meant his carefully planned defence would be shot to pieces.

The extent of his mistake began to dawn on him. He began mentally kicking himself for being stupid enough to film everything he had done to Prue. A little voice in the back of his mind piped up at that moment to remind him how much pleasure he had derived from watching the humiliation and pain he had inflicted upon Prue. He had watched them time and time again to allow him to pleasure himself when Prue was too injured to endure another round and he couldn't be bothered to go and seek out his usual entertainments. 'Yes, they had proved very satisfying' he thought to himself 'it's just a shame I won't get to keep them' he thought as the squad car moved off the highway and he began to final leg of his journey to the police station.

At that moment, he allowed his thoughts to drift for a moment to wonder whether Prue's ex would be the officer to meet him and interrogate him. That possibility appealed to Roger. He saw it as a final opportunity to ruin Prue for any other man. He would tell the dutiful Inspector Trudeau exactly what he had done to his precious Prue and by the time he was done, the man would never want to look at her again, let alone be with her.

Roger smiled to himself as he neared his fate, gleefully anticipating his final revenge upon Prue.

Phoebe and Piper knocked gently on Prue's door and hearing a welcome, entered. Prue was sat up in bed and had more colour to her. She looked more relaxed than last time and both sisters couldn't help but wonder if that was due to Andy.

Moving to either side, Piper spoke first. "Hi Prue. I'm Piper, your younger sister and this Phoebe, our baby sister." Piper placed her bag onto a chair and took the seat on Prue's right.

Prue looked at both, trying to find something familiar or some resemblance in their looks that would confirm what Andy had told her. Looking intently at both women, she sensed a familiarity about their eyes. There was something about them that invoked feelings in Prue. Feelings of pride, love and respect.

"Hi. I'm sorry about last night. I guess it was pretty hard on all of us. Andy explained to me this morning who you were. I have to say, looking at you both know, there is something familiar but it is only vague feelings. Nothing else I'm afraid." Said Prue.

"That's ok Prue. The doctors said this was going to take time and we are only here to help. You gave us such a scare we don't plan to go to far from you for a long time to come I can tell you" Phoebe said, smiling as a single tear feel from her eye. Just to have Prue talk to them was an amazing feeling. It really did give her hope.

"Thanks Phoebe" Prue said with a little smile. There was something about her 'baby sister' that made her feel at ease and even happy. She guessed Andy must have been right about a bond between them – there was definitely something she couldn't quite put her finger on.

Piper smiled to herself to see the interaction between her sisters. 'Maybe everything is going to be ok after all' Piper thought.

"Well Prue, we brought some photographs with us. We were hoping they might help you in some way if you had a look through them. They are mostly of the three of us and some with Andy in but we hoped they might trigger something" Piper said, pulling the pictures from her bag and laying them on the little table across Prue's bed.

"Well ok then. Let's have a look. Will you tell me about each one?" she asked, looking at both sisters in turn, anxious to begin remembering.

"Of course we will Prue. Let's start here with this one shall we? This was the three of us in the manor house we grew up in." Phoebe said, as they began to make their way through the pile of pictures, each hoping for the same thing – something to trigger Prue's memory to reunite them properly as sisters.


	44. Interrogation

**Author's Note**

**Again, thanks to all those who have left feedback. It is very much appreciated and encourages quicker writing, hence the next chapter so soon. I began working on this one as soon as I had posted the last one, and have been working on it pretty much every waking moment since and here it is. I, however, am not certain I like it. I have tweaked and tweaked and played around until I am blue in the face but nothing seems to satisfy me. So I figured, I would see if anybody else thought it sucked too. Feel free to be honest.**

**Thanks Again.**

**Lady Piwah**

Chapter 44

Andy stood watching through a one way mirror as 2 detectives settled down to interrogate Roger. He had arrived at the station to the news that Prue's fiancé was due to arrive shortly and then following a review of the evidence with the DA, he would then be charged. The detectives were going in to try and get him to confess to the attempted murder charge as they had no concrete evidence to link him to that particular incident.

Morris stood alongside his partner and friend, aware of the tension radiating from him. He had tried to convince Andy not to watch the interrogation as he was sure it would do more harm than good. But Andy was adamant he was going to stay and witness what the piece of scum had to say, so Morris had made the decision to stay and ensure Andy did nothing stupid.

Morris himself had fully briefed the officers on the main pieces of evidence and they had familiarised themselves with the file. Morris had asked them not to view the videos out of respect, but gave a brief run down of what they contained. Morris had taken every precaution to ensure they were only seen by those who absolutely had to view them.

Morris himself had had to watch them to catalogue what they contained. He had done so with a female detective in the precinct and no-one else. What had been done to Prue was so degrading; he felt that for more people to the videos would only compound that degradation. Morris told himself he would do the same for any victim in the same situation but he also had to admit that the case had become personal for him.

He felt a connection to Prue, through Andy and her sisters, that he would not normally feel when dealing with a case. The details he had learned from her family, Andy and her diaries had further deepened that connection to the point that a part of him wanted to deal with Roger, just like Andy did.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Morris continued to keep one eye on the interrogation and one eye on Andy as the detectives began to ask about Prue.

Roger sat patiently waiting for the Detectives to begin the real questions. So far, all they had asked him about was why he ran from the cops at the airport and where he was going. He was a little surprised he was not being questioned by the ex-boyfriend and his partner. But then Roger guessed that would probably not be allowed given the personal interest. However, he had no doubt that the man was watching him from somewhere.

"Tell me about your relationship with Prue Halliwell?" Detective Sanchez said.

"What would you like to know Detective? We've been engaged for a while now as I'm sure you're aware. We live together so I'm sure you can work out that we have a 'full' relationship. I don't know what else I can tell you" Roger replied, smiling genially at the officers.

"Well did you love her for a start? Were you both happy?" Detective Richards asked.

Roger knew they had the diaries and videos so he saw no point in lying. 'Maybe if I tell them the whole truth, it will rile Trudeau enough to make a mistake,' Roger thought to himself.

"Well I think love is a strong word don't you? For that matter so is happy. To answer your question, no I didn't love her – but then who could?" Roger replied, looking the detective in the eye as he spoke.

"Well if you didn't love her, why did you ask her to marry you? Why were you planning to get married? It's a matter of public record that you were the one to propose and not her so why if you weren't happy or in love?" Detective Richards pressed.

"Oh the reason is much more simplistic than something as pathetic as love. I did it for money. I did it for a job. I did it for status. When we met, it was a well known fact that Prue was offered my current job when the previous one was retiring. You see, it was well known that he was very protective and proud of Prue and that he listened to her opinion about absolutely everything. But Prue turned it down which left the position wide open. I knew if I could get her, I could get the job. So that's what I did." Roger smiled indulgently as the officers.

"OK. Well if that is true, why carry on the charade once you had the job? Why go so far as to get engaged and set a wedding date? By that point the job was yours and no-one would have been able to take it away once you had it surely?" Detective Sanchez said.

Sanchez had a feeling about this guys. It was something he couldn't put his finger on but the way he was being so forthcoming about the real reasons for his relationship unnerved him. From what Morris had said, there was no way he could have known that the victim had kept diaries and what they contained. So what did he have to gain by telling the truth? If the roles were reversed, Sanchez knew he would be trying to convince people that he was truly in love with the woman. Glancing at his partner, Sanchez got the impression that Richards was thinking the same thing. Exchanging a quick glance, Sanchez listened as Roger continued.

"Yes I had the job, and no, nobody couldn't have taken it off me once I had it but still. With the job comes a certain social obligation. With Prue on my arm, that obligation could be fulfilled as she was more than capable of dealing with social niceties and museum politics that came up. In fact, it was about the only thing she was good at. That and doing the work that I couldn't be bothered with. After all, why keep a dog and bark yourself?" Roger said, warming to the questioning knowing that very soon they would begin to ask the more intimate questions and the he would really be truthful.

"So how did you feel about Miss Halliwell?" Sanchez asked, unsure of where Roger was going with his answers.

"Hmm that's a tough one. Disgust. Pity. Shame. I won't deny that she was useful because she was. But when this all started I hadn't realised the price I would have to pay would be so high. It became more difficult as time went on to play the loving fiancé because love was the last thing I felt when I looked at her." Roger sat, smiling at no-one in particular as he spoke.

In the observation room, Morris had one hand on Andy's shoulder as he saw the tension increase in his partner. Andy was gripping the window ledge in front of him with such strength his knuckles were white.

"Whilst you were making your way to the airport for your travels, we obtained a search warrant and searched the house you shared with Miss Halliwell. Care to take a guess as to what we found?" Sanchez asked.

"Why don't you tell me Detective? You seem eager to for some reason."

"Following a thorough search of the property, one of our detectives found your secret room in the Master Bedroom. In that room, we found video tapes and a secret camera that was directed at the bed in the room. Would you like to explain the video tapes? The purpose of the camera?" Sanchez asked, hoping that Morris had managed to talk Trudeau out of watching the interrogation for fear of what the suspect might say next.

"The purpose? Well ok then. At first, it was a way to humiliate Prue. Video tapes of her doing degrading things would have been a way of keeping her in line with my scheme, if I'd needed them. But the key to Prue's compliance turned out to be her sisters anyway. After that I continued to film our 'sessions' because I enjoyed knowing the camera was there and afterwards, I could relive everything that happened." Roger's eyes took on a distant look as if he was back in the house, watching one of his videos.

"Just imagine the feeling – there you can see on camera a woman who people respect and look up to, begging for mercy. Begging me not to touch her, not to taste her, not to make her pleasure me. The sight of her on camera, tied to the bed face down whilst I did what ever the hell I wanted to was such a turn on. Then when she first fought back, I began experimenting with her pain threshold. I get such a rush as I draw a knife across her body time and again and watch the blood flow." Roger blinked rapidly and it was as if he was back in the room again. He again focused on the Detectives in front of him.

"In the end it comes down to one thing gentlemen. Control. She was mine to do with what I wanted and what I wanted was to degrade and humiliate her so no other man would want her. Despite any protestations she may have made at the time, deep down she wanted it. She liked the way I treated her because it made her feel. She didn't think she was worth more than that and I was happy to prove that to her. If you want to question anyone, question her or her old high school boyfriend. From everything I understand, it's all down to him that she is the way she is. A screwed up whore who kills babies should she accidentally get knocked up!" Roger finished, grinning widely.

Before Morris could stop him, Andy was half way to the door, fists clenched ready to kill Roger for what he had just said. At the last second Morris managed to tackle Andy as he reached for the door knob. He struggled with his partner and when another officer came to help him, managed to drag Andy to another interview room, kicking and shouting all the way.

As Morris dragged Andy along the corridor, Roger could just make out the commotion in the hallway and a few of the words that were being shouted. He knew then, that Trudeau had heard all he had said, and his carefully weighted words had had the desired effect. Just because he was going to go to jail, didn't mean he was going to let Trudeau and Prue off either. If he was going down, he was going to make sure they would never be happy together. Ever.

Morris posted a guard at the interview room and then closed the door to face his very pissed off partner. "Andy calm down will you. You're playing right into this creeps hands you know that? He probably guessed that you would insist on watching the interrogation so he said all those things to rile you."

"How could he sit there so calmly and say all those things about Prue? How could any self respecting man do any of those things to any woman, let alone someone like Prue who had never done anything to him or anyone else for that matter?" Andy raged, pacing the room like a caged animal.

"Because he's not a self-respecting animal that's why. He's a low life sociopath is what he is. He was calm about it because he was choosing his words carefully to have this kind of reaction from YOU. He was baiting YOU. You know why?" Morris said, watching Andy carefully as he finally began to slow.

Andy finally stopped and sat heavily in the chair in the middle of the room. He looked at his partner through hooded eyes and asked "Why?" desperate for some answers to this madness.

Morris moved to the centre of the room and took the chair opposite Andy. "My professional guess would be that he is aware of Prue's continued feelings for you. I think that has probably been the catalyst for this whole thing. And by choosing the perfect words, and revealing the most horrific of details he is banking on you being disgusted, horrified and most of all responsible. That is why he gave all the sordid stuff first and then tagged onto the end about you. This guys not stupid Andy. Trust me, he is a lot of things, but stupid is not one of them."

Andy looked at Morris hard as he spoke and when he was done, he seemed to visibly deflate, the anger and tension leaving him. "But he's right. I am responsible. At least partly. I know, after everything we have found out that her grandmother bears a lot of responsibility but I have to admit that so do I. And having seen what it has done to her, what it has put her through, I don't know if I can live with that or face her knowing that. Especially if she manages to regain her memory." Andy said, his voice full of anguish as he looked on the verge of tears.

"Listen. There's no use me sitting here spewing platitudes at you and telling you that everything is going to be ok because I don't know that. None of us do. But what I do know is that even after all of this, one of the last things that woman wrote in her diary was that she still loved you. Trust in that if you trust in nothing else. You have both been through hell and back in one way or another but don't let that dictate what may or may not happen in the future. Don't think. Just act on whatever you are both feeling or whatever may be happening and take it from there." Morris said, hoping to convince his partner to not give up just yet.

Morris got up to leave to give his partner some quiet time by himself to think things over and digest what he had said. "I'm going to go chase up a few things. Take some time to think about what I just said, but whatever you do, do not over-analyse things, because that will only make things worse" Morris said, smiling ruefully at his friend and he left.

Andy sat, staring at the wall, Morris' words going round and round his brain. The more he thought about everything, the more he was drawn back to something Prue had written in her diary. 'She loves me. That's what she wrote and why would she lie to her diary? If she loves me then I owe us both to have faith and believe in what we both feel.'

With that thought firmly in mind, half an hour after being dragged kicking and screaming into the interrogation room, he calmly rose, tucked his chair under the table and left the room, determined to find his partner and then head back to the hospital as he had promised.

**NB**

**I promise the next chapter will be focused solely on the sisters and I even promise for some improvement in Prue's condition. :o)**


	45. A Glimmer of Hope

Chapter 45

Andy and Morris approached Prue's hospital room only to hear a most unexpected sound coming from behind the door. The two men looked at each with a questioning look. Morris looked at Andy, at the door and then back at Andy and said "laughing?"

Andy shrugged his shoulders and indicated they should knock and go in. Upon entering, Andy was struck by a sight he had missed in all the years he and Prue had been apart – Prue, sat between her sisters laughing and smiling. He hadn't realised until that moment how much he had truly, deep down in his soul missed her.

Prue looked up from the photo Piper was holding and her face broke into what Morris could only describe as a translucent smile as her eyes found Andy. Morris risked a look at his partner to find him grinning ecstatically with tears in his eyes.

The pair remained gazing at each other until Morris cleared his throat and said "Piper, Phoebe, maybe you'd like to come get a coffee with me. There are some things we should discuss" he said, looking pointedly at the two oblivious people in the room.

"Sure, that's a good idea." Piper said.

Grabbing her little sister's hand, Piper said "We'll be back soon sweetie. I'm sure Andy will take good care of you".

Prue nodded distractedly as her sisters left the room with Inspector Morris, and Andy stood, still smiling at the door.

Realising they had been staring at each other, Andy gave a small laugh and then moved to sit in the chair beside Prue's bed. As he say down he caught a glimpse of the photos on Prue's lap and again, a goofy smile sprang to his lips.

Prue followed his gaze and again looked at the photo, letting out another giggle, which made Andy's heart soar to hear. "I can't believe this is really you and me" she said, still laughing to herself.

"Well yeah it is. God I look old now in comparison!" Andy said, casting his mind back to when the picture was taken.

Looking more closely at the photograph, Andy drank in the details. It had been taken when he and Prue were going to a Halloween party when they had been together. Andy was dressed in a dapper suit and bow tie with his hair slicked back and a silly little moustache drawn above his top lip. If he was honest with himself, he looked absolutely ridiculous! Prue on the other hand looked absolutely amazing. She was wearing a skin tight, long black dress which hugged her body in all the right places and her long hair was flowing down her back. She had on dark eye make up and dark lip stick and in Andy's opinion she made a fantastic Morticia Adams!

Andy remembered they had made it to the party and stayed for less than half an hour. It was almost as he could feel the way he felt back then – looking at her across the room full of adolescents and just the sight of her made his heart race. That was all it had taken was 30 minutes of staring heatedly across the crowded room at each other and they had made their excuses and left.

Andy remembered driving them to their favourite place at the beach and without words, they took each other's hand and made their way to their secluded spot. He could still picture how she looked in the moonlight as they turned to each and began kissing.

Andy suddenly became aware that Prue was staring at his waiting for an answer. "I'm sorry, I got caught up for a minute. What did you say?" he said quickly, trying to hide his embarrassment as to where his thoughts had gone.

"I was asking what you remembered of the picture. It's obviously something naughty otherwise you wouldn't be that delightful shade of pink!" she teased him lightly, feeling more at ease after the stories her sisters had been telling her.

Caught of guard for a moment at the tone in her voice, Andy stared at her before bursting out laughing.

A little hurt that he had laughed at her Prue looked him straight in the eye and said "I don't appreciate being laughed at Mister so stop it right now!" Prue said, her lower lip jutting out slightly in a pose Andy had seen a million and one times up close and personal and another million times in his dreams. He had to turn away to stop from reaching out and running his finger across her bottom lip.

Catching his breath and trying to keep a lid on his laughter, Andy again looked at Prue again and said "I'm sorry. I wasn't laughing at you per se. It's just been such a long time since I heard you teasing anyone, and it caught me by surprise. I promise I wasn't laughing at you the way you think."

Seeing how contrite Andy looked, Prue decided to follow her instincts with this man. "That's ok. From what I can gather, life hasn't exactly been a picnic lately and I'm sure very little laughter has been happening." Prue said, smiling gently at him.

"What do you mean, 'life hasn't exactly been a picnic lately'? Have you remembered something?" Andy asked, suddenly focused and hopeful.

"No, nothing like that. It's just I tried asking my….sisters, sorry that stills seems a little strange. I tried asking them why I was in hospital and they wouldn't give me an answer – something about my memory having to return naturally which is what the Doctor said when I first woke up. But it was something about the look that they gave each other. I could tell there was a lot of sadness there. I simply put 2 and 2 together and assumed it had something to do with me being here" Prue said, searching Andy's face for a sign that she had said something true.

As Prue searched his face for any hint of truth, Andy was waging an internal struggle. He knew he should push her probing questions aside, as the Doctor had suggested, and focus her mind back on the pictures and trying to remember for herself, but a part of him ached for her.

It ached to see her look so confused and vulnerable, yet strong and resilient at the same time. He knew she had a right to know, and a little voice was saying that maybe, just maybe if he told her a cursory part of the story it may trigger her memory. But another little voice was asking him whether he thought she was strong enough right now to remember everything that had happened and deal with it all in one go.

Finally looking Prue square in the face he made his decision.

"I'm not going to lie to you Prue. It hasn't been an easy time over the last few months for either yourself or your sisters. But I'm sorry. I can't tell you why, or what happened or any other details. I don't want to set back your recovery by telling you something your mind doesn't want you to know yet."

"I know this must be incredibly frustrating for you. You have always been one to keep up to date with all the facts, organise them, compartmentalise them and move on. But right now, you need to trust in yourself, and in your doctors. Trust that right now, it is better for you not to know. I am sure when the time is right, when you have physically recovered enough to deal with everything, your memories will come back. Just have faith Prue."

As Andy talked, Prue could feel herself becoming more drawn to him. The way he said her name, the way he spoke with such concern and worry, touched her in a way she couldn't explain. But she knew it only served to reinforce her original instinct about this man and they past relationship.

From what she had garnered from her sisters and looking at the photographs, they had been incredibly close at some time in the past. Prue decided there and then that was going to use this opportunity to get to know this man from scratch. She was going to find a bright side to whatever bad thing had happened to place her in the predicament, and she was going to use it.

Because something inside her was telling her that this man could be very very important to her recovery and her future happiness.

"Ok. I promise no more questions. Thank you for being so honest with me though. However, I do have one request" Prue said, regaining her former teasing tone.

"OK. What is it?" Andy said, relieved to have things back on track.

"Please tell me what you were thinking about when you looked at the photograph of us dressed up. I know that we used to date. My sisters told me. I also know we were pretty serious so that, coupled with the look on your face tells me there is a juicy story to be had. And don't worry about embarrassing me – what could be more embarrassing than not knowing your own name?" Prue finished, with a smile on her face that belied the pain of that statement.

"Well since you asked so nicely, and I never could resist a beautiful woman, here goes" Andy said, before settling a little further into his chair and beginning his story of the Halloween Party from the beginning.

A little while later, Morris, Piper and Phoebe stood outside the hospital room, with the door slightly ajar, the occupants completely oblivious to their presence. They stood listening as Andy and Prue made each laugh with banter and they smiled when they saw they were gently holding hands. None of them knew how or when it had happened, but they were all slightly glad it had as well as a little apprehensive.

They were all hoping this was the beginning of a new chapter for both of them, and not the end of a very bad chapter.


	46. Breakthrough

Chapter 46

Piper and Phoebe grabbed their coffees and a danish pastry each and made their way over to join Darryl at a quiet corner table. He had indicated to them on the short walk from Prue's room that he had news to share with them and they were eager to find out what it was.

As they made themselves comfortable and took tentative sips of the hot coffee, Morris broke the silence. "So, things seemed to be going quite well when Andy and I arrived. Laughing is a good sign. How's Prue doing really? With the memory loss and all?"

"Actually, she seems to be taking it in stride at the moment." Piper replied. "We were talking her through some of the photos we brought it – particularly ones of Prue with Andy because there still seems to be that connection between them. It's amazing but even though she doesn't remember anything about her life, she seems to remember Andy on a more basic level. Kinda like her soul remembers him maybe? I don't know but whatever it is is a good thing. Did you see how she calmed down in his arms??"

"It was pretty amazing to watch the effect he had on her, you're right" Morris said.

"Anyway, what news from the station? Has he arrived yet? Been interrogated?" Phoebe asked, desperate for news of the scumbag who had done this to her sister.

"Yeah, he's there. That guy is one hell of a bastard I'll tell you that now. When they interviewed him he obviously guessed that Andy would be observing in an adjoining room because some of the things he said were aimed directly at Andy. And let me tell you, they hit the spot that's for sure. This guy really know what buttons to press to the most devastating effect. If me and another officer hadn't managed to hold him back, I am telling you now he would have killed Roger with his bare hands."

"Oh my god! What could he possibly have said to make Andy loose it like that? I know he is sensitive where Prue is concerned but I never thought he would be capable of that." Piper said, concern creasing her brow.

"I won't go into details because some of the things were pretty bad but he intimated that it was all Andy's fault that Prue was in the state that she is, that he turned her into the kind of person who would stay in an abusive relationship because she believed she was not worthy of any kind of love. He also made some comments about how he was only using her and never really loved her and it was all about the job at first and then the power he had when hurting her. He told a sad, horrific story but I am sure there is more to come. I think there are other details he is holding back for the right time."

"Well I really don't think Prue can handle anything right now outside of trying to recover and regain her memory. Does what he said add up to a confession that would mean Prue wouldn't have to take the witness stand against him?" Phoebe asked, concerned that Prue would have to relive everything if and when she regained her memory.

"Well most of what he has said can be used against him but at the moment, he hasn't really said anything of substance regarding the night he tried to kill Prue. He will be put through further 

interviews so hopefully he will start talking about that. Anyway, right now all you need to concentrate is helping your sister and each other deal with all that has happened. This has been hard on you girls too and you need to make sure you deal with your issues regarding everything before you can really start to help Prue."

"There is something else you should know that Roger let slip during the interview. I know you have both been rocked by the revelations in Prue's diaries and that you were both upset to discover what had been happening and that Prue hadn't confided in you. Well it turns out, she was planning to. From what I can understand, not long after the abuse started Prue fought back and was going to end it once and for all. But Roger played his trump card. He knows Prue better than we all thought because he only had to make one very simple threat to get her to toe the line. He threatened to hurt the 2 of you if she ever told anyone or ever tried to leave him. He knew that her one major weakness was her sisters and that she would put your safety ahead of her own. She was still subscribing to the beliefs of your grandmother that she needed to be the strong one and protect you both at all costs."

Piper and Phoebe were speechless. Yes, they had both been angry that Prue hadn't come to them but that anger dissipated as Morris told them what Roger had said. Again, the pain and suffering came back to their grandmother and the enormous obligation she had thrust upon Prue's shoulders from an early age. It had been ingrained into her so deeply and so thoroughly that she had risked her own life, had suffered untold pain and humiliation, and had even planned to fake her own death and leave behind everything she knew and loved just so her sisters would be safe.

The 3 continued to drink their coffee in silence, letting the implications of their discussion sink in. Meanwhile, a short walk away, in a private hospital room, memories were beginning to stir and feelings were creeping up unnoticed and unchecked.

Tears were falling down Prue's pale cheeks as Andy spoke. The looks in her eyes was one Andy could read so well, and for the moment, he felt as if this was the reason he had been placed on this earth. As Andy took a breath to continue his story, Prue held her hand up in a silent plea for him to stop.

Taking a deep, shuddering breath, Prue finally managed to speak. "Please no more. I don't think I can take much more." She said, as again the laughs escaped her and dissolved into giggles again. She didn't know what was wrong with her. A part of her brain was telling her this was not to time to be laughing and joking around. That same part told her she needed to be serious and to concentrate on regaining her memory, but another part was telling her to enjoy the moment, because it was unique and precious and she may never feel like this again.

And there it was. The realisation, deep down in the dark recesses of her mind, that something bad was going on and it had to do with her. Although she could not remember who she was, the logical part of her was saying there cannot be a good reason as to why she was in hospital and Andy had confirmed as much to her. That logical voice was also telling her that her injuries were really serious and that coupled with the looks she had seen exchanged between her sisters told her that things were probably only going to get worse once she had regained her memory.

She wondered where these thoughts were coming from. Had she always been an intuitive person? She couldn't explain how these insights were coming to her, but they were oddly comforting. Not as comforting as the man sat by her bed, but comforting none the less.

Andy watched Prue closely as she went from giggling to thoughtful, to pensive and then to peaceful in the space of a few minutes. He had always been able to read her like a book. He knew every expression, every look and every shadow that passed across her face and it amazed him that it was still the same so many years later. To some extent that offered him comfort.

He hoped that if so much was still the same about her, then the strong Prue he knew could still be in there, buried behind years of abuse and mental anguish. He knew there were no guarantees. He had done his research. He knew the kind of scars that the suffering and torture Prue had been through could leave. But a part of him still believed that Prue would not succumb to that because deep, deep down, she was stronger than that. And he honestly believed that with the unyielding support of her sisters, she would emerge stronger than ever before.

"Okay, so no more stories about you as a teenager then. For now." Andy said, smiling widely at Prue. He gently reached out on instinct, and grasped her hand softly in his. When she didn't pull away, he took that to mean she didn't mind.

"Thank you. I think if you made me laugh anymore I would split my stitches", Prue said, trying to hide her blush at him taking her hand. And as the words left her mouth she was hit with a memory.

Prue froze as an image danced behind her eyes. An image of Andy and her sisters when they were much younger appeared and with it her younger voice _'I think if you made me laugh anymore I would split my stitches'._ The image ended with Piper, Phoebe and Andy grinning at her like lunatics.

"Prue. Prue! Are you ok? Talk to me Prue." Andy said, noticing the far off look in her wide eyes.

"Wow. I think I just remembered something. Have I ever had stitches before? I had a flash of you and my sisters making me laugh when we were much younger and I said the exact same thing about splitting my stitches." Prue said, half expecting Andy to tell her she was imagining things.

"Oh my god! Yes you did remember something. That did happen. You were about 14 years old and you had an accident at school. You had stitches in a cut in your stomach and your sisters and I were trying to cheer you up."

"That's amazing Prue. You really remembered something. That is a great sign", Andy said, ecstatic to think that they had made a breakthrough.

At that moment, Piper, Phoebe and Morris walked back into the room, having watched them for a moment. They had noticed a change in them both, and Andy looked really excited. They had taken that as their cue to enter the room, confident they would not be interrupting anything.

"Well hey now. That smile of yours has been sorely missed Prue. I can't tell you how happy I am to see it again" Phoebe said, moving into the room first and pulling up the spare chair.

"Hey Phoebe, hey Piper. We have some great news", Andy said, unable to contain his delight.

"What? What happened?" Piper said, finding Andy's excitement catching.

"I remembered something." Prue said, before Andy could steal her thunder. "It wasn't much but it was something. I remembered sitting in bed and the 3 of you were trying to cheer me up and I was laughing so hard I was worried I would rip my stitches."

Both girls turned to look at the big, goofy grin on Andy's face, and then back again to see the light that was now shining brightly in Prue's eyes. She had regained a memory and a piece of herself at the same time. And her sisters could not have been more happy.

Piper was the first to recover from the shock and she leaned over towards Prue and pulled her gently into a hug. "I am so pleased for you sweetie. I know how much you want to remember and this is an excellent sign." Piper said, feeling her eyes tear up at the thought that Prue had remembered something and that she had been a part of that.

As Piper pulled back, Prue treated her to a very real, bright, reaches the eyes smile and it was the undoing of Piper's resolve as her tears fell and she smiled right back at her big sister. "I have a real memory of you Piper. And you too Phoebe. I remember you both laughing like crazy at a joke Andy had been telling and you were all trying to outdo each other to see who could make me laugh the hardest and rip my stitches. I remember asking you all to stop but you wouldn't. That's where it ends, but it's something right? It's a memory of my own and it's real. Andy said it actually happened that way."

Phoebe simply leaned towards her sister and putting an am around Prue and the other around Piper, Phoebe smiled and in a small, emotional voice and with tears drying on her cheeks, she simply said "Yes, it is something. In fact it is more than something. It is everything. And I am so, so proud of you Prue. I love you." She said, swallowing the lump in her throat.

Phoebe finally felt able to say those 3 little words to her sister because she now had a memory that validated what they had told her about them being sisters. But at the same time, Phoebe knew she wouldn't here it back because while Prue had regained a memory, she had not yet regained all of her memories or feelings or even herself.

"Don't worry Prue. I don't expect you to say it when you cannot really mean it without knowing. I just wanted you to know that's all. I have always looked up to you as a role model, and I should have guessed you would manage to be a role model in recovering from amnesia too! I'm so happy for you and so proud of you and I just wanted you to know that." Phoebe said.

Prue simply pulled her sister closer and gave her a small kiss on the cheek. "Thank you Phoebe. That's means so much to me. Thank you both of you. And Andy. I couldn't have got this far without any of you and I know that this is finally a step in the right direction." Prue said, while looking around around at the faces and smiling at everyone.

"OK. Well now that we have got out of the way, I think it would be best if we updated Dr Jessup as to what has just happened. He said to inform him when some progress was made so maybe he can tell us how to proceed from here." Andy said.

"Tell you what. Andy, how about you and I go and find Dr Jessup before we head out, and leave the sisters to play some more catch up?" Morris said.

"I think that's a great idea. We'll tell the good Dr to pop along and see you as soon as he can Prue. In the meantime, keep up the good work", he said with a smirk, " and I promise to pop by and see you tonight before lights out ok?" Andy said, moving towards the door.

"Andy!", Prue said, before he walked out of the open door.

Andy turned to look at the woman he considered to be his angel, and flashed her a mega watt smile.

"Thanks. For today I mean. I really appreciate everything you are doing for me." Prue said, suddenly feeling nervous as she realised she sounded like an idiot and there were other people in the room.

Sensing her sudden uneasiness, Andy walked back towards the bed and bent his head down to Prue's ear and whispered "It's my pleasure sweetheart. Anything for you, anytime" and before she could reply, he walked out the door, closing it tightly behind him, and leaving Prue with a startled but pleased look on her face.


	47. A Shadow Cast

Chapter 47

Phoebe and Piper resumed their previous seats on either side of Prue's bed as Prue continued to stare at the door Andy had so recently exited. The 2 younger sisters shared a small knowing smile and waited a moment before drawing Prue back to the here and now.

They had seen that look on Prue's face so many times when they were younger and she and Andy had been so deeply in love. It was comforting to them both to see it again, even if Prue had not regained all her memories. It represented a very real and basic part of their sister and it gave them a feeling of hope for the future and for their sister.

"So, I can't believe you remembered something Prue, that is so incredible" Piper said, gently speaking to her sister so as to not to scare her out of her reverie. After a few moments and Prue had not answered her Piper gently laid a hand on Prue's arm and tenderly said "What are you thinking about sweetie?"

Shaking her gently to rid the thoughts of Andy from her mind, Prue turned and smiled at Piper. "I'm sorry, I guess I zoned out there for a moment. So much has happened since I woke up and now with having remembered something it's just taken a lot out of me I guess." Prue said.

"I'm not surprised you must be pretty exhausted after everything. Would you like us to leave so you can have a sleep?" Phoebe said, disappointment evident in her voice at having to leave her sister so early.

Prue could sense Phoebe's mood and instinctively reached out to hold her hand and said "Don't worry. I don't want you to leave just yet. Stay and keep me company for a while. Please?" Prue said, smiling gently at her youngest sister.

A big, bright smile appeared on Phoebe's face. "Well since you asked so nicely, how could I possibly say no to that?" Phoebe teased, glancing to look at Piper across the bed to see her smile reflected back at her.

Prue looked between her sisters and then asked "Would you look through some of the earlier photos with me, you know, the ones of us as little kids, and maybe tell me a few storied behind 

them? I would really like to know more and it might help me remember things, just like it did with Andy."

"We'd love to" Piper replied, reaching for one of the earlier photograph albums. "I should warn you though, I'm not sure of the stories behind a lot of them because you always remembered that kind of thing. But I will tell you what I do know, and we can take it from there ok?" Piper said, smiling gently.

For the next 2 hours, Piper and Phoebe went through picture after picture with their older sister and regaled her with tales of their youth. Prue smiled and laughed throughout the entire time but no memories were triggered. All 3 sisters laughed hysterically when Piper told them the story of Prue and Phoebe trying to lie in a hammock in the back garden together.

"No matter how many times or how many different positions you tried it in, you both kept falling out. You must have tried a dozen times or more. By the end I think you were doing it just to make us all laugh. But the first time you fell out was priceless. The looks on your faces as you landed in the mud! At first you both looked indignant that you should be dumped out of a hammock so unceremoniously but after about 30 seconds, you both dissolved into fits of giggles." Piper said, laughing as she looked at the picture of her sisters lying in a heap on the ground and her standing and pointing in the background.

"Who took the picture Piper? Cos there's you in the background so it must have been someone else?" Prue said, as her laughter subsided.

Phoebe and Piper cast a quick glance at each other, unsure how to proceed. Before they wouldn't have hesitated to talk about Grams but since reading Prue's diaries and learning everything that had happened, they weren't sure whether this would be a good thing or not. On the other hand, they didn't want to keep secrets from Prue and even if Grams did represent many of the traumatic experiences in her life, it may trigger some memories.

"Well that would have been Grams. We lived with her all our lives and she brought us up after our parents died." Piper said. They knew Prue was aware that their parents were dead because it was one of the first things she has asked, where her parents were.

"Oh ok. So we were pretty close to Grams then? I take it she died as well, since she hasn't been in to visit." Prue said, a feeling of uneasiness settling over her. She couldn't put her finger on why the mention of her Grandmother made her feel this way, but she knew it wasn't a good feeling.

"Yeah, Grams died from a heart attack years ago. She had been ill for a while so we knew it was on the cards. And yeah, we were pretty close to Grams but she was a little harder on you than us. We were so young when our parents died, and with you being the oldest, she expected you to help out and grow up faster than maybe you should have. But it did mean that the three of us were always incredibly close. You were our big sister but also our surrogate mother too." Piper said, glossing over the situation and hoping Prue wouldn't ask for more details.

Prue had stopped listening after Piper had told her she had had to grow up faster than she should have. At those words, a series of images flashed across her mind. Images of a stern older lady telling her she had to stay home and watch her sisters, or take her sisters out with her. There was another of the same lady telling her she couldn't go away to college because her sisters needed her. Finally, an image of the lady looking at her as if giving a lecture, and the words "your sisters are your responsibility Prudence, you have to look after them no matter what" resonated throughout her mind.

Piper and Phoebe noticed the look of apprehension and concentration on Prue's face and guessed that she was remembering something. Not wanting to push their sister before she was ready, they sat quietly, waiting for Prue to return to them.

Prue began to shake almost imperceptibly at first, a slight tremor in her hands and on her lips. But as the seconds passed Piper noticed the shaking getting faster and harder until her whole body was shaking and Prue was struggling to breath. From their last encounter, Piper and Phoebe recognised the signs of a panic attack and since Andy wasn't around to calm her down like last time, Piper took charge.

Moving to sit direct in front of her sister Piper gently placed her hands on Prue's cheeks and spoke in a manner which held no hint of the panic she felt. "Prue, listen to me. It's ok. You're safe. You're in the hospital with your sisters. Whatever it is you've remembered it can't hurt you Prue. Listen to me Prue. You need to calm down and start breathing deeply or you are going to pass out. Come on Prue, copy me. Breathe like I am. In and out slowly. That's it."

As Piper coaxed her sister into calming down, Phoebe rubbed her back in gentle circles to soothe her. It was something Prue had always done for Phoebe when she had been upset or angry or hurt 

and it always made her feel better. After a few minutes, Prue's eyes began to focus once more and her breathing was almost completely back to normal. When Prue's breathing had almost returned to normal, Piper sat back down on her chair at the side, not wanting to crowd Prue now that she had calmed down. Phoebe and Piper exchanged worried glances, both unsure of what it was Prue had remembered and both hoping it wasn't going to impede on Prue's recovery.

The silence lingered and neither Piper nor Phoebe wanted to break that silence, but both began to feel uncomfortable as the minutes stretched on. Finally, Prue broke the gaze she had been holding and turned to look at first Piper and then Phoebe. She instantly recognised the look of worry on both their faces and felt a pang of guilt somewhere deep down that she had caused them worry.

Clearing her throat Prue began to speak. "I'm ok. Thank you for talking me out of the panic attack. I just lost control there for a minute at the onslaught of memories." She offered a small, reassuring smile to both her sisters, half hoping they would not ask any questions about the memories, but at the same knowing she needed some answers about what she had seen.

Piper seemed to sense her sister's internal battle and decided to make the decision for her. "I know it must have been upsetting sweetie, but what did you remember? Maybe we can give you some context to the memory or a bit of background information? It may not be what it seems when you don't know the whole story." Piper said.

She knew she was grasping at straws by saying that and that it was a faint hope that what Prue had remembered was not disturbing given everything she had been through, but Piper needed to offer some sort of reassurance. She also needed to offer comfort to the sister who had done so much for her, and sacrificed so much for her family. Piper determined that she was going to have to be the strong sister for the foreseeable future until Prue was able to or ready to be that again.

Prue could sense Piper's change in attitude and the way she seemed to steel herself for what was to come. Something about the way she now held herself seemed awfully familiar to her. And then it came unbidden into her mind so quickly it was almost like a light bulb being switched on. This was how she had acted when dealing with her sisters. This was Piper taking the role of big sister for the time being to enable Prue to heal.

Flashing her middle sister a grateful smile, Prue took a deep, shaky breath and started talking. "I don't know where to start really. It was something you said about me growing up faster than I should have. I guess it triggered some kind of memory. I saw flashes of an older woman and heard snippets of conversations. Sometimes she sounded quite angry, other times just forceful but never 

happy or nice. I only heard bits and pieces but she was talking about me looking after you and being responsible and about not going away to college. Does that make any sense to you? Was that our grandmother?" Prue asked, directing the question at both of her sisters.

For a moment, neither knew how to respond. They knew that Prue had to remember things on her own but at the same time they wanted to help her to remember. As the silence continued, Prue began to play with the edge of the sheet covering her, folding, unfolding and folding again – a habit she recognised and attributed to being nervous. She didn't know how she knew that's what it was and she didn't remember it, she just sort of knew.

Not wanting to dwell on what that could mean for her memory and prospects of full recovery, she turned her attention back to her sisters, all too aware that they had yet to answer her. Before she had a chance to say anything, Piper spoke up.

"Yeah Prue, that sounds like Grams. She made sure you looked after us and looked out for us when we were younger. You became almost a surrogate mother as well as a big sister and it meant you didn't get to do a lot of things you wanted to do, like go away to college. You've always been there for us Prue, because Grams said we should always stick together." Piper had decided that honesty was best in this situation. She reasoned that she wasn't really giving away anything too revealing.

Prue could sense that there was more to the story but knew better than to ask any further questions. Prue let out a deeply held breath and gently closed her eyes for a moment, suddenly feeling drained by the trip down memory lane. Realising immediately that their sister looked exhausted all of a sudden, Piper and Phoebe gently gathered up their things and moved the photo albums to the cabinet at the side.

Prue opened her yes gently as she heard her sisters moving and smiled weakly at their knowing smiles. She held her hands out to each sister and gave them a gentle squeeze to convey her thanks. Piper and Phoebe both squeezed back and made their way out of the room quietly, noticing that Prue had fallen asleep almost as soon as they had let go of her hands.

Once outside the door they were startled to find Dr Jessup stood in front of them. Recovering quickly from the surprise, Piper spoke first. "Hi Dr Jessup. I assume Andy updated you on the progress Prue made today?"

"Yes he did. I'm pleased to see some progress is being made. It seems in this instance spending quality time with people who have been important to her in her life may well be the key to unlocking Prue's memory. Did you have any further luck?" Bane asked, hoping that Prue's progress would be swift for her own sake as well as that of her family and friends.

"Actually we did. Prue had a memory of sorts regarding our grandmother. Nothing concrete but more snippets of conversations and an image of someone we believe to be our grandmother from her description. She asked more about her, but considering what we have discovered recently, and how much our Grandmother actually bares a lot of responsibility for the situations Prue has found herself in, we felt it better not to offer too much information. Prue didn't push either. I think she has accepted that we are not going to tell her everything and that she has to work to remember herself. Anyway, by the end she looked exhausted and she was asleep before we even left the room."

"Well she has certainly made some exceptional progress today and now that it has started, you may well find it will happen more and more often. You will have more of an idea about how painful these memories are going to become but with you and her friends close by, I am sure she will come through this ordeal. I'm not going to pretend this is going to be easy, on you or her, or that Prue will not carry emotional scars. But given the right support, and lots of love, she should come out of this ok."

"Thanks Dr Jessup. I certainly hope you are right. We are going to go home and get some proper sleep. I think Andy was talking about coming back tonight but we shall be back in the morning. Again, thank you for everything you are doing and have done." Phoebe said, before catching hold of Piper's arm and walking down the corridor of the hospital. Both sisters knew that after that small glimpse of their big sister today, they would both sleep better tonight.

Bane watched the sisters disappear down the corridor and then moved to the hospital room they has recently come out of. Opening the door and stepping quietly into the room, Bane moved silently up to the bed and gazed down at the face of the woman he had once cared so deeply for. At the time he had thought himself in love with her and even now, he could close his eyes and transport himself back to that time when spending just a few minutes with her was enough to make his day.

Shaking his head to clear the memories he walked around to the end of her bed and checked her medical notes. After making a few notes himself, he walked back towards the door but suddenly stopped and looked back at Prue as she lay quietly sleeping. Almost imperceptibly Bane said "I promise you Prue, I will help you overcome all of this and make sure that you have the chance to be happy – you deserve it more than most."

And with that he was gone.


	48. Flashes of the Past

Chapter 48

Shadow figures moved in and out of her vision as she looked around at her surroundings. Prue knew that she should recognise this place but nothing came to mind. She was stood in a hall, with a high ceiling and what looked like paintings on the wall. She could see a staircase to one side, winding up to the next floor and several doors.

On the edge of her vision, she spotted a person opening a door and walking through. She couldn't make out a face but something felt familiar so she walked towards the door herself, determined to follow. A small part of her was telling herself that this was a dream and nothing more but another part said that since she felt she should recognise it, and the person she had seen seemed familiar then maybe this was her sub-conscious trying to jog her memory.

Closing the door behind her, Prue looked around the large room. There was a desk and bookshelves covered with books as well as a fireplace on one wall. The person she had seen walking in was now sat behind the desk reading some papers. But when Prue moved closer to have a proper look, all she saw was a faceless man. She couldn't make out anything about his face at all but it registered that he was a tall man, well built and well dressed.

Prue watched him put the papers down and move around the desk towards her. Not knowing where he was going or what was happening, Prue remained rooted to the spot, intrigued to know as much as she could. The figure walked towards her and stopped just to her left. Before she knew what was happening, the man leaned in towards her and whispered "I love you" and with that he walked out the door without a backward glance.

Temporarily stunned, Prue remained in the same spot as the seconds ticked by, questions running rampant through her mind. It registered in her mind that if she didn't follow him she wouldn't get any answers to those questions and with that she opened the door and propelled herself into the hallway again.

She looked around and found no sign of him. She reasoned he couldn't of gotten far so she began opening the doors closest to her looking for any hint that was in any of the rooms. When she opened the third door she found no sign but before she could leave her eyes were drawn to the mantelpiece. She looked around as she closed the door behind her and realised she was in a living room. There was a sofa and a couple of chairs as well as a television, stereo system and more books on shelves. But it was to the mantelpiece that she gravitated as she noticed lots of pictures in frames – some plain, some ornate.

Looking closely she realised the faces in the pictures were obscured as well, all except her face. She could quite clearly make out her face from all the others and from there was able to make some educated guesses. Some of the pictures clearly showed her with 2 other women so she assumed they must be of her sisters. Logically she knew that it could be any of the other females that must be present in her life, but until she could say for sure, she would make the assumption which comforted her most – which was that these pictures were of her and her sisters.

Prue noticed that the picture in the middle of all the others was much larger and the frame was much more ornate with what looked like diamonds in the corners. She reached her hand out and picked it up trying to get a closer look hoping to make out who the other person was. She could tell it was man and that he was little bit taller than her. He looked to be wearing a tuxedo, judging by the bow tie she could make out but his face remained obscured no matter how hard she looked.

She looked closer at their clothes and hands in the picture and realised they were stood with their arms round each other. Prue looked at her own face carefully and realised that although at first glance she was smiling, it wasn't very convincing under a second glance because her eyes looked sad. This recognition triggered a shuddering feeling throughout her body and she shivered as if hit by a cold wind. But there was no wind in this room.

She looked at the hands of the people in the picture and noticed a ring on her finger – on her ring finger of all places. For a brief moment Prue thought that maybe this was a picture of her and Andy but something stopped her from taking the idea too far. No, she knew deep down that if it was of her and Andy, she would be smiling both in her mouth and eyes.

Her mind processed this fact and brought up the next logical conclusion – she was engaged to somebody else! Prue felt shocked at the idea because no man had been to visit her in the hospital except for Andy and his partner Morris. No sooner had she registered the shock than she heard the same voice as before. It sounded as if the person were stood right next to her whispering in her ear but there was no-one there. "You useless, worthless whore. I'll teach you to respect and honour my wishes if I have to beat you to within an inch of your life for you to understand."

Prue began to shake as the words sank in. She was frightened but she didn't know of what or who. She couldn't put a name to the voice or even a face for that matter but she had to assume he was talking to her. She kept wondering whether this was something that had happened to her – had the person she was engaged to uttered those menacing words to her? Was this her memory trying to resurface or was it simply a nightmare?

Prue couldn't answer these questions but she was certain she didn't want to know anymore. She wanted to wake up and rid herself of the voice echoing inside of her but her mind wouldn't let her wake up. Without thinking, Prue dropped the frame that was in her hands and turned and ran for the door. She opened with force and ran through not bothering to close it properly. She ran towards what she assumed was the front door, but couldn't force the door open. It was locked with a dead bolt key and no amount of struggling was going to open it. Turning around and looking, she realised she had been through all of the doors down here which left only the next floor as an option. Cautiously looking around to see if anyone had appeared, she slowly began to climb the stairs.

As her feet landed on the top step, Prue felt a sudden pull inside of her, guiding her to the room down the hall. As she came to a stop at the door, a feeling of terror and pain washed over and chilled her to the bone. A battle raged in her mind as she contemplated opening the door but at the same, terrified of what she might find if she does. Again, that logical part of her mind came to fore and she knew that if she truly wanted the answers to her past, she would need to walk into the room and face whatever awaited her.

Taking a deep breath, Prue gathered her courage and opened the door. At first she couldn't see very much as it was quite dark and gloomy but gradually her eyes began to adjust and when she could finally see properly she gasped aloud at what was in front of her. She blinked several times to make sure she wasn't seeing things but quickly realised that she wasn't. She was really looking at herself!

Prue took another step into the room and saw that the man she had seen downstairs was the one with his hands around her own neck while the wall held her upright. Not wanting to, but knowing she needed answers, Prue approached the wall to see if she could get a clear look at his face now. Being careful not to touch anyone or anything Prue manoeuvred herself to get a closer look at the man physically abusing her in front of her own eyes.

She still couldn't see his face properly but she could feel the anger radiating of him and the terror emanating from herself pinned against the wall. As she looked at her other self more closely she let out a whimper seeing the pain in her own eyes and the dried blood running down the side of her head from a head wound. She noticed that she was covered in bruises and scratches and that by the looks of her face, she was slowly loosing consciousness.

Prue knew she was powerless to stop what was happening and that she needed to watch to gain clues to her past. But watching hurt and she couldn't help the scream that escaped as she watched the faceless man pick her other self up and throw her on to the bed like a rag doll. She watched, shaking as he walked over to a drawer, pulled something out and walked back towards the bed. 

Instinct kicking in, Prue started screaming at him to stop but it didn't make any difference. The only change was the echo of that voice again: "I'm going to make you pay for humiliating bitch. And if you don't take you punishment like a good little doormat then I'll just have to try it out on your sisters instead" followed by a sick, evil laugh. As she continued to cry and scream for him to stop, she suddenly became aware of a presence behind her. Turning around she let out a startled cry to see a woman stood in front of her.

Prue had seen her before when she had had flashes of memory and instinctively knew this was her grandmother. Prue's head began to ache as she struggled to make sense of what she was seeing and the pain her other self was enduring. Glancing behind her, she watched as the man cut her clothes away as she lay unmoving on the bed and proceeded to use the tip of the knife to draw patterns on her stomach and breasts. Terrified of what might happen if she continued to watch, Prue turned back towards the woman.

She watched as her mouth opened but again the voice sounded as if it was whispering in her ear. "You must look after your sisters Prudence. They are your responsibility. There is no excuse for either them being hurt. Do whatever you must to protect them Prue. It is up to you to shield them from all the hurt in the world. Make sure they are always happy." And with that, she watched as the woman raised her hand and pointed Prue back towards the scene unfolding on the bed. She watched, horrified as the man began to beat her on the bed, again and again and again raining blows to her stomach, ribs, thighs and arms. She watched, rooted to the spot unable to move as another man with no face appeared on the bed behind her and proceeded to hold her arms down tight to the bed. She watched mesmerised as he seemed to egg on the first faceless man as he ripped her underwear from her body and then pulled down his own trousers and pants.

As Prue watched, she saw her own body being violated by this man while another held her down and encouraged him. She knew that her body on the bed was unconscious but that didn't seem to matter to the two men. They continued on for how long Prue couldn't have guessed. She was barely aware that at some point, the men switched places but by this stage she was numb and beyond reaction. She had given up trying to process what she was seeing and had taken to hoping with every fibre of her being that this was simply a nightmare and not a memory from the past. But she also knew that no amount of hoping or wishing was going to make that the case. A fundamental aspect of her soul knew that this was indeed a memory and as that thought registered she let out a blood curdling scream.

She continued to scream until she suddenly found herself awake and in the arms of Andy. She gradually heard his soft words of comfort and felt his hand gently stroking her back and her fears began to dissipate as she took comfort in the arms of the man who always knew what to say and always managed to make her feel better. As Prue's breathing gradually returned to normal, her crying petered away to uneven sobs and she swiped furiously at her eyes to remove the tears that 

she knew were there. When silence covered the room, Andy gradually pulled away from Prue and brought her chin up so he could look in her eyes. As he did so, he felt his heart breaking all over again at the agony and pain he could see in them. He used the pads of his thumbs to trace away her tears and leaned in gently to place a light kiss to her forehead.

The tenderness of his actions bright a fresh wave of tears from Prue and it took several more minutes for her to calm down and relax completely. Once she was lying down again, settled into her bed, Andy made himself comfortable on the edge of her bed and held onto her hand. He knew he had to ask but he didn't know how to form the words or even if he wanted to know what she had dreamt. But he also knew he had to cast aside his own worries and focus on what Prue needed right now and he knew it would be best for her to talk about what she saw. Steeling himself for what was to come, Andy took a deep breath, looked Prue in the eye and asked her the dreaded question "What did you dream about Prue? What did you see? Please talk to me."

Prue knew that she needed to put words to the things she had seen and receive some sort of confirmation as to whether it was real or not. But the thought of telling people what might have happened to her terrified her. She didn't want anyone to look at her with any more pity than they already did. She didn't know if she could cope with that. More frightening though was the prospect of having to tell the story of what she saw more than once.

She knew she had to tell Andy because he had been the one to rescue her from the nightmare, but she also knew that her sisters had a right to know too. She suspected that they knew what bad things had happened to land her in this situation, and although she couldn't fully recall them or her feelings for them, she felt that connection to them ever since she remembered the incident with her stitches. And somewhere in the back of her mind, things fell into place. When she thought about it logically, which was difficult at that moment, she put together the fact that bad things had happened, that something awful was still going on, that people were worried about what she might remember and the fact that Andy's partner Morris who was a cop, was hanging about even though no-one had said she knew him. It dawned on her that she should probably be telling this story to him as part of a statement but she needed Andy to confirm her thoughts.

"Before I tell you what happened I need you to tell me something. I know something bad happened to put me in here and that people are worried about what sort of thing I might remember. Am I a victim in something that your partner is investigating?" Prue said, torn between holding Andy's concerned gaze and looking down at a spot on the sheet covering her body.

"What makes you ask that Prue?" Andy asked, surprised at her question. "I can't tell you that right now, but please just tell me if I am right?", Prue asked, trying to remain calm despite the puzzle pieces slotting into place in her head.

"OK, all I can tell you is that yes, the police are investigating what happened to you." Andy told her the bare minimum, still wary of not giving too much information about the traumatic events as advised by Dr Jessup.

"In that case, before we go into what I dreamt, I think you should call your partner and my sisters. I don't know whether I can make it through reliving the dream once let alone 3 times or more. Please just call them all here and I will explain everything." Prue said, gently squeezing Andy's hand.

"OK Prue. I'll call them all now and get them in here. Will you be ok for a few minutes while I go make those phone calls? I don't want to leave you but I will have to use the phone at the nurses station." Andy said, worried about leaving her alone for any length of time following what he had walked in on.

"I'll be ok. I'm not going to go back to sleep and it will give me a change to get things straight in my head before the others arrive. Honestly, I'll be alright for a few minutes" Prue said, mustering a small smile designed to put his mind at ease.

"Alright I'll be as quick as I can. If you need me though, just press the nurses button and I'll come running" Andy said, leaning down to place a gentle kiss to her forehead before getting up and heading out the door towards the nurses station, leaving Prue alone to gather her thoughts and put the pieces of the puzzle together.


	49. Dreams and Memories

Prue sat quietly with a pensive look on her face. The only movement in the room was coming from her hands which were alternately clenching and unclenching the sheet which was folded on her lap. Andy watched her from the doorway, mentally preparing himself for what Prue was about the reveal. After phoning Prue's sisters and Morris, Andy had briefly returned to sit with her, but she had suggested he go get coffees for everyone so she could have a few more moments to compose herself. Whilst he had no doubt that Prue was the strongest woman he had ever known, he also knew that this was probably one of the hardest, most painful things she was going to have to do and as a result, he determined to all he could to help her through this.

Andy decided to brief Piper, Phoebe and Morris outside the room when they arrived. When they had assembled, Andy became nervous. When he had rung them he had simply asked them to come to the hospital. He had given them no indication that Prue may have remembered something as he hadn't wanted to alarm them. But now he had to tell them and he was apprehensive as to their reactions – her sisters in particular. This was probably going to be equally traumatic for them if his suspicions were confirmed.

"Sorry for the cryptic summons but I didn't want to say anything over the phone" Andy began. Before anyone could interrupt he continued on. "When I arrived earlier Prue was asleep. I sat with her for a while when it became clear she was having some sort of nightmare. I eventually managed to wake her up but by then she was screaming and crying. Anyway, once she calmed down and everything sunk in she began to realise a few things and I'm pretty sure what she 'dreamt' was actually a real memory disguised as a dream. Prue seems to believe that to be the case and she didn't want to have to repeat the dream a bunch of times. She asked that we all be here when she recounts the experience."

With one final look at each person, Andy pushed open the door and led the group into the small hospital room. Minor, low key greetings were exchanged, no-one wanting to lessen the seriousness of the situation with idle small talk. Piper, who was sat on one side at the head of the bed lay her hand on Prue's arm in a comforting gesture, leaving Phoebe to take her hand. Prue smiled at each of them gently silently conveying her thanks for their offers of strength. Morris assumed his usual position in the chair by the door and inclined his head in Prue's direction by way of greeting and encouragement. Last but by no means least, Andy resumed his position on the other side of Prue and was pleasantly surprised when she instantly reached for his hand. With one look he knew it was to steady to herself and give her the courage to talk.

Prue had already decided she needed to concentrate on Andy as she recounted what she had seen. When she had first woken up and he had calmed her, she had felt safe with him – as if he would do anything to prevent her being hurt. She smiled one last time at Andy, squeezed his hand and then began to speak. "I was in a large hallway. There were paintings and a big staircase and what seemed like loads of doors, but was only about 5. As I was looking around I noticed someone walk across the hall and enter one of the rooms. I was curious as to where I was so I followed the person into a room – it had a desk and bookshelves and the person I followed was sat behind the desk. I tried to look closely but his face was blurred. As I continued to look at him, he stood up and walked up to me and it was if he whispered to me 'I love you' and then he was gone."

Prue looked away from Andy for a moment to gauge the reactions her sisters. Andy's face had betrayed nothing except love, concern and strength. Piper at first glance looked a little perplexed but Phoebe looked very apprehensive. Deciding to just keep talking rather that give them a chance to ask questions she returned her gaze to Andy's face and began talking again.

"It took me a moment to realise I needed to follow him to find out where I was and who he was so I left through the same door and then looked around for any sign of him. I checked several doors until I opened one of the doors and felt myself drawn to some pictures sitting on a mantelpiece. I walked into the room towards the mantelpiece and looked around. It appeared to be some sort of living room with couches and a television. But I was drawn to the pictures. There seemed to be lots of them, all different shapes and sized and some plain but other decorative. I leaned in for a closer look at the pictures and could make out my face but the others were the same as the man – all fuzzy. From the poses and the clothes on the other people in the pictures I guessed a couple of them were of me with Piper and Phoebe but the one that confused me the most was the most fancy of all – it was sat in the middle of the mantelpiece and it looked as if it was an antique with diamonds in the corners. It was of me and a man but again no face. He was slightly taller than me and wearing a tuxedo. We seemed to have our arms around each other and I had an engagement ring on but although I was smiling, I could I wasn't really happy."

Phoebe and Piper shared a knowing look, recognising Prue's description of the room and the picture she had described. But Prue did not see the exchange as she was still fully focused on Andy.

"All of a sudden something inside me clicked into place and I went very cold." Prue blushed slightly as she looked at Andy and said, "At first I thought maybe it was you in the picture but I quickly realised that if it had of been you in the picture I WOULD have been happy – I don't know how I knew that but I did."

Prue had considered not mentioning what she had thought but a little voice inside kept telling her to be completely honest and not hold anything back. Judging by the shocked expressions on everyone's faces, she was beginning to wish she had ignored that voice! Andy meanwhile was utterly stunned. Realistically, he knew the Prue had no idea of the effect her words would have on him. But nonetheless, he felt his heart soar at the words and their meaning. Whilst it was clear Prue didn't know where the feeling had come from, the fact that it came at all gave him renewed hope for a possible future together. But as soon as he allowed that hope to flare he felt himself go still as Prue spoke her next words.

"As soon as my mind made the realisation that I was once engaged to somebody else, I heard the same voice again, whispering to me. It said 'You useless worthless whore, I'll teach you to respect and honour my wishes if I have to beat you to within an inch of your life for you to understand'."

As Prue finished relaying what the voice had said, silent tears were coursing down her cheeks and her sisters looked physically sick. But still Prue kept on talking, wanting to get it all out. The only difference now was she couldn't meet Andy's gaze. She was ashamed that someone believed her to be 'that' person, and more than a little worried that it might be true.

"I can still hear the words in my mind. Over and over again. I got so frightened I started to shake and I followed my instinct to run as fast as I could. I ran into the hallway and tried to open the front door but it wouldn't move. I think I knew I was asleep and either dreaming or remembering but I couldn't wake myself up so I did the only thing left – I walked up the stairs and as soon as I got to the top landing I felt as if I was being pulled towards a room at the end of the hall. My feet seemed to move of their own accord and then I was standing in front of a door. I felt absolutely terrified but I didn't know why and then I felt an incredible physical pain. I didn't want to open the door – I was so scared of what I might find – but I also wanted to wake up so desperately. So I gathered every ounce of courage I could muster and I opened the door and stepped into the room."

Prue took a deep breath and stopped talking long enough to take a sip of water. She felt like had been talking for hours when in reality it was only ten minutes or so. Her throat felt dry as a bone and she badly needed to steel herself for what she was about to say. As she put her glass down after another mouthful of water, Andy immediately grabbed hold of her hand again, squeezing it reassuringly at the same time her sisters did. Knowing she would chicken out if she waited much longer, she took a deep breath and carried on.

"I couldn't see much at first as it was so dark but as my eyes began to adjust I thought I was seeing things. The man I had seen downstairs had another me pinned against the wall with his hands around my neck strangling me." Prue swallowed instinctively at the memory of his hands around her neck. "I walked closer to see if I could see his face but I couldn't make it out. I could feel he anger and hatred rolling off of him in waves and could see the terror in my own eyes. My face was cut and bruised, and there was a bloody bump on my head. I could tell I was starting to lose consciousness but I was frozen, completely powerless. The man then picked the other me up and practically threw me on the bed. He went and got a knife and walked back to the bed. I started screaming at him to stop because I instantly knew what he was going to do but it made no difference. I heard the horrible voice again in my head – 'I'm going to make you pay for humiliating me bitch. And if you don't take your punishment like a good little doormat then I'll just have to try it out on your sisters instead' – and then he laughed. This horrible, sickening laugh that I can only describe as evil. It turned me cold inside to hear that laugh."

By now Prue was physically shaking through fear and shame. She couldn't look anyone in the eye because she was convinced she would see nothing but pity and disgust. She was almost sobbing but now she had started, no amount of fear was going to stop the words from tumbling from her mouth. She couldn't help herself. Shaking and sobbing she continued her story, painfully aware of the hands holding onto her.

"I felt someone behind me and turned to find a woman standing there. From the memory flashes I have had I knew she was our grandmother. I couldn't understand why she would be there or what she was doing. I turned back to look at myself on the bed and the man had moved over me and started cutting my clothes away with the knife. I could tell I was unconscious but when all my clothes had gone, he began cutting lines all over my body – on my stomach and my chest in particular. I was so scared of what else I might see I turned and looked at our grandmother and I could see her mouth moving. But I didn't hear her voice from the person in front of me, but more from a voice right next to my ear. She said 'You must look after your sisters Prudence. They are your responsibility. There is no excuse for either of them being hurt. Do whatever you must to protect them Prue. It is up to you to shield them from all the hurt in the world. Make sure they are always happy.' And then as I looked at her, she simply pointed back to the bed."

Piper and Phoebe reached out to hold onto each other as well as Prue and were openly sobbing as Prue's story unfolded, unaware that the worst was yet to come. As Prue continued talking she couldn't help but feel ashamed and dirty and worthless for allowing these things to happen. She then closed her eyes, unable to deal with everyone looking at her, and drew her hands away from her sisters and Andy and used them to hold herself, scared that without her arms to hold her in place, she may fly apart at the seams. Disappointment flooded Phoebe, Piper and Andy as Prue physically distanced herself from them. They could see Prue working hard to erect her barriers again and they instinctively knew there was nothing they could do or say to stop her from doing it. They even understood why. With Prue, it had always been her defence mechanism to hold everyone at arms length so she wouldn't get hurt. They all knew it wasn't rational in this instance, but given what Prue was reliving, they could all understand it. Watching helplessly as Prue continued to shake and cry and hiccup, they listened intently sure that there was nothing worse they could hear.

"I turned again towards the bed and he began punching and slapping me across my thighs, stomach, arms and ribs. He just kept hitting me regardless of the blood all over my body and he kept going until suddenly there was another man there. This other man moved behind my head and held my arms down on the bed and shouted encouragement to the first man as he began to rape me. He was so violent but I was still unconscious on the bed and he kept going for what seemed like hours. At some point the two men switched places and the second man started to rape me while the first just stood next to the bed and laughed. I couldn't stop watching and I could feel the pain of what they were doing. And then it was as if a jigsaw piece clicked into place and I suddenly knew they this was a memory and not a dream. Deep down inside something triggered in my memory and I knew it was real. That was when I found my voice and started screaming. I just kept screaming and screaming until I work up here."

As the minutes rolled by, no-one moved and spoke in the small room. Prue was emotionally exhausted, feeling as if she had physically experienced what she had seen and struggling with her shame of what she had been through. In her mind, everything that she had heard had validated what had happened to her. Why else would something so terrible have happened to her if she hadn't been the horrible person that voice had told her she was? Try as she might to process what she had experienced, her body was telling her otherwise and as her tears slowly subsided, her eyes closed of their own volition and she drifted off into an exhausted sleep.

Her sisters on the other hand were beginning to feel as if they would never be able to sleep again. Even awake they had images in their head of what Prue had described and endured so they could imagine what they would dream when they finally closed their eyes again. The significance of their grandmother in the dream had not passed them by either. But that was something that neither of them was prepared to face at the moment. They knew they needed to focus on their sister and stopping her from closing herself from those who were there to support her. The difficulty was that they had never managed to prevent it in the past so what was going to make this time any different?

Andy meanwhile sat quietly stroking Prue's hair, watching as she slept, praying that she wouldn't experience any more memories. Now that she was asleep he allowed the tears that had been threatening all along to fall silently down his cheeks. His gut wrenched at knowing what exactly she had suffered through – the physical and the mental. It broke his heart to hear her talking about what she had seen in her dream – the haunted look in her eyes tormented him to the very depths of his soul. Sure, he had had a very good idea of everything that had happened but to actually hear her describe it somehow made it all the more real and all the more heart breaking. A part of him couldn't help but wonder whether maybe it would be better for Prue to never remember all that she had suffered. After all, she had only remembered one instance of the systematic abuse she had suffered and it had destroyed her. He vowed to himself then and there that whether she remembered all of it or no more of it, he would do everything in his power to show her that what that monster had said and done was as far from the truth it could possibly get and that she was the most amazing woman he had ever known. He hadn't work out how he was going to do that but he was going to find a way.


	50. Despair and Frustration

Authors Note - A big thank you to everyone who has stuck with me this long and taken the time to leave feedback - it really does encourage me to write faster. This chapter is smaller than usual but I wanted to add something this week which would build to a big chapter next that will see a lot of angst as well as some sweet stuff - I hope! Anyway, thank you everyone for reading. I never anticipated the story would get this long but it has taken on a life of it's own and I am just along for the ride.

Lady Piwah

Chapter 50

Prue couldn't remember the last time she had something to eat. She knew it had been ten days since she had had the memory and had told her sisters, Andy and Morris exactly what had happened to her because the memory of that day was ingrained into her mind. She guessed it was just before then but she couldn't be sure. She knew that should worry her but strangely it didn't. It simply annoyed her that she could not remember.

Ever since she had fallen asleep following her confession, she had not spoken a word to anyone. Her dreams were restless and there was always that voice deep down inside repeating the names that man had called her, reminding her that those she had told thought the same thing. She hated the thought that her sisters and Andy, the people she had come to depend on so much since waking from her accident, knew what a terrible person she had been. It broke her heart for reasons she knew and other reasons she was not so sure of. Each and every waking moment was spent reliving her dream in vivid detail and analysing every nuance for any hints as to what she could possibly have done to deserve such treatment. There was no doubt in her mind that she had deserved everything that had happened to her – she just knew down at the very depths of her being that it had been justified.

She had steadfastly ignored the people coming in and out of her room whether it be nurses, sisters or Andy. She didn't have the courage within herself to face anyone now that she knew the kind of person she had been. Most of the time she pretended to be asleep but people had quickly caught on to the fact that that was all it was – pretence. And so after a while she had simply lay in her bed not moving, unresponsive to the people talking to her, touching her, attempting to comfort her. She just wanted them all to go away. They interrupted her thinking time and they were beginning to invade her dreams too, particularly Andy. She had seen the look in his face during her recount of what she had experienced and she believed he was repulsed by her. In her mind, he was only still visiting to satisfy his conscience and to get a conviction in whatever case she was mixed up in.

Something about satisfying his conscience resonated within her and she knew there was something to it. But she couldn't for the life of her work out what it was and she certainly wasn't going to ask him because her fear of what the answer could be was overwhelming. But as much as she tried to rid him from her mind, his face haunted her dreams. She saw a younger version of the man that had sat beside her bed and held her hand, and he was full of passion and laughter. Glimpses of him holding her hand, leaning into kiss her softly on the lips and then uttering the words 'I love you' haunted her dreams. But she knew her mind was playing tricks on her, it had to be. After all, why would someone so caring, kind and considerate speak to her that way, and act that way around her. From the moment he had calmed her when she first woke from her accident, she had felt an attraction to him that reverberated to the very depths of her soul but she had never spoken of it for there were so may other things happening that she hadn't been able to focus properly on what she feeling. But now, in the quiet of her room in the last 10 days she had had no choice but to confront the feelings she had allowed to develop and to believe that they would never be reciprocated. After all why would anyone feel that way about her?

Andy was beyond frustrated. He had known it would happen as had Piper and Phoebe. After that devastating, heartbreaking statement by Prue of what had happened to her, they had all known that she would retreat from them and push them away and despite knowing it would happen and making all sorts of promises not to let it, it had happened anyway. Prue had withdrawn within herself and effectively gagged herself and now everyone was suffering.

Andy admitted to himself that Prue was by far the one suffering the most but that did not diminish what he and her sisters were feeling. But he also knew pointing out that she were hurting her sisters would prove futile to Prue under these circumstances, even if it had worked in the past and that was because Prue had now been led to believe that she was the biggest danger to those around her. He knew from the look in her eyes that she absolutely believed everything she had told them and that she had in every way conceivable deserved what had happened. The effects of long term psychological abuse begun by her grandmother and compounded by Rex had manifested themselves in her mind, even though technically she couldn't remember the majority of her life. Her subconscious was trying to protect Prue's fragile mind from the true horrors that lay in her past whilst allowing the psychological conditioning to continue.

Andy, Piper and Phoebe had spoken at length with both of Prue's doctors but most particularly with Dr Jessup about what they could to draw Prue out and get her to open up. The news had not been entirely encouraging from the Dr who obviously still felt a strong connection to the fragile young woman they were all concerned for. Andy wasn't stupid. He had immediately notice that Bane had been in love with Prue when he revealed to them his history with Prue in college but in the last week, he had watched the Dr when he checked on Prue and when he spoke to the 3 of them about her condition and Andy was left in no doubt that the man still harboured some feelings towards Prue. Not that Andy could blame him; after all, he was in the same position. He acknowledged that his relationship with Prue had been considerably more than Dr Jessup's but he was also forced to acknowledge that there was a time in Prue's life that Andy had not been a part of and this man was the one who had been there for her. This knowledge didn't stop the inevitable jealousy from creeping through his heart at the knowledge of the past and the knowledge of the other man's current feelings.

Andy was on the edge. He didn't know how much more he could take of the silent treatment from the woman he knew he had always and would always love yet he had run out of ideas for how to reach her. When they had been younger and Prue had closed herself off from him when dealing with problems with her family or grieving for her mother, he had always known what to do to get her to open up to him. But now, so much had happened and they had both changed so much he was at a complete loss. He had vowed to help her through this but dammit she was making it so much harder. Telling her that what she had told them didn't change the way they looked at Prue or cared about her but that was too simplistic an approach – of course she wouldn't believe something just because they said it.

And then it came to him. It was risky, he knew that much. And it went against Dr's orders completely but he couldn't stand by and do nothing while he lost her again – probably for good as he knew how stubborn Prue could really be. He thought about running the idea past Piper and Phoebe but he didn't want to alarm them or get their hopes up. If this was going to work he needed to be alone with Prue to do it and he knew, no matter the outcome, this was going to be emotionally devastating to him. But she was worth it. Prue was worth any amount of distress, upset or trouble if it meant he could help her in any way. He had to try. Now he had thought of it, it was if his mind refused to consider any other possibilities. Looking at the clock and realising it would be at least 2 hours before anyone, medical staff or her sisters, would be checking in on Prue, he knew it was now or never. He made his way from their spot at the beach and jumped in his car, heading along the now familiar route to the hospital, nerves fluttering in the pit of his stomach at what he was about to do.


	51. Andy's Gamble

Hey Everyone!

Firstly, apologies for the huge delay in getting this chapter up. Writers block!

But a big thank you to everyone who sent such awesome reviews - it's those reviews which spur me on to continue this story when I am struggling for inspiration so please keep them coming.

Lady Piwah

Chapter 51

Andy decided not to give himself the chance to second guess what he was about to do so instead of taking a moment to compose himself outside of Prue's hospital room, he simply knocked and walked straight in without waiting for an answer. As had been usual recently, Prue didn't not even acknowledge his presence in the room, although he could have sworn she had flinched slightly when he walked in as forcefully as he did. A voice in the back of his mind was telling him that what he was about to do was going to hurt them both but he was very quickly getting to the point where he wouldn't be able to deal with everything anymore and more than anything he wanted to be there when Prue finally remembered to help her. However, now he was just going to have to trust his instincts and take matters into his own hands for her sake and for his own sanity.

Sitting down so he was facing Prue he began talking almost immediately reaching out to take her hand so she could not turn away from him.

"I know that I have no idea what you are going through and what exactly you saw in your dream and how scared you must be. But I have a very good idea. You may not remember anything about your life but I do and so do your sisters. I've known you since we were little kids – you were my best friend growing up and then you were my girlfriend and we were so many firsts for each other everyone including ourselves thought that we were gonna be together forever. I was there for you when your father left, when your mother died, when your grandmother would shout at you for things that weren't your fault. I held you as you cried and kissed your tears away, desperate to take away your pain and sadness. For so many years we confided in each other, did everything together and were each others other half. We completed each other in so many ways that people thought we were soul mates. WE thought we were soul mates."

Andy took a deep breath, realising he had to plough ahead whilst he had her attention, which he certainly did. As soon as Andy had mentioned that they were best friends and a couple her eyes had drifted to his face and now stared deep into him, hope shining within that someone could unlock her pain and offer her the comfort she was so desperate for.

"But despite all that, I gave up on our relationship when I went to college. I didn't mean to. But things changed and before I knew it, my other half was gone. We had no contact until recently. And I gotta tell you, seeing you again after so many years felt like coming home. Because to me, you have always been and will always be my home. When I left you, I left a piece of me behind – my heart. It's always been yours Prue and right now, it's shattered in pieces because of what you have been through."

Andy sniffed as a tear made its way down his cheek.

"I may not have been around for a few years but since you got in this latest accident, you were unconscious for a long time. Your sisters and I had no clue what had been going on so we searched through some things at the Manor house they still live in and in the house you live in right now. I have to be honest and tell you that we found some diaries and desperate to know what had been happening, we read them. I know you will probably hate me for that but you left me no choice. Before this accident, you were withdrawn, refusing to admit that something was wrong and you wouldn't open up to any of us. I need you to know how worried we were about you then and how worried we still are. From hat I understand, you have been pretty much conditioned to believe that you deserve everything that has happened to you and I am guessing what you saw in your dream was just a sample of what you have endured. But I am here to tell you that this is not the case. You are the most amazing, caring, kind, considerate, beautiful person I have ever known and if I had had an ounce of sense when I was younger, I would never have let you go. That was my mistake, my stupidity that let the best thing in my life to slip through my fingers and in turn it led you to where you are today. So if anyone is to blame for what has happened to you, it's me. I could have stopped it all those years ago if I had made a different decision and I will never forgive myself for that."

Andy stopped, to take a deep breath and wipe the tears away that had fallen slowly but surely down his face as he spoke his words with such passion, desperate for her to understand and believe in what he was saying.

"The doctors have told us not to tell you anything about your previous life or to push you into remembering. But not helping you remember is killing me because now you are cutting yourself from not only me but your sisters too. You have no idea how much they love you or who strong they are thanks to you. They have looked up to you their entire lives and you have been both a mother and sister to them. You have helped them through all the good times and bad and you have taught them how to be strong yet considerate, how to stand up for themselves without being bitchy and how to defend their family when needed. They learned all of this from watching you do it and if only you could remember and could truly look at the women they have become you would be so proud. I AM so proud of you. You sacrificed so much of your own childhood to help raise them and you did such an amazing job, even if you doubted yourself every step of the way. They are truly your sisters Prue and they can help you so much. They can be strong for you when you can't. They can protect you from more pain if only you would let them in. I have no doubt that when your memories do return, you will be in a world of hurt and pain and from what I know, probably terrified out of your mind."

At this he heard Prue whimper slightly and he glanced at her as a look of pure terror crossed her face. He hadn't realised it until that moment but he had been fully focused on the sheets of her bad where their hands lay that he had almost been speaking to the bed and not her. It didn't look as though her eyes had moved very far from his face and he took a second to look deep into her eyes. He swore he could see the old Prue there behind all the fear and pain and it drove him on. Moving his other hand to rest gently against her cheek he continued to talk.

"But you are not alone in this no matter what you remember. I am not going to lie to you. A lot of what you have been through is heartbreaking. Any other person and I am not sure they would have coped but that is a testament to how strong you are. No matter what the man in your dreams told you or the old lady either, you are so strong, and so worthy and your sisters don't need your protection anymore. They need their sister to let them in and to accept their help. I know you will hate the way that they have found our your darkest secrets but don't hold it against them. I know if the situation had been reversed, you would have done the same thing without a moment's hesitation if it meant helping or even saving one of your sisters. Because that is what they were trying to do. Save you. From your pain, your anguish, your torment, your secrets and your…."

Andy had stopped short. He had come this far but he still couldn't bring himself to say the word fiancé. He didn't want to use that word to describe the bastard that had tormented, tortured and destroyed the woman in front of him. Unsure of how to proceed Prue's voice stopped his mind dead in their tracks as she spoke the first words she had uttered in days.

"My what Andy? Please tell me. I need you to finish that sentence. Please." All it took was her whispered pleas and he found himself continuing without really thinking about it whilst gently stroking her cheek.

"Your fiancé. They were trying to save you from your fiancé and you in turn were trying to save them from your fiancé regardless of what it would cost you. I know you don't remember any of this and I know now that I have given you an insight into what you have suffered you may never want to remember but Prue, sweetheart, you need to remember so that you begin to heal. So that your sisters can begin to heal and so that you can have the life you so richly deserve. Because you do. I don't care what anyone else told you, you deserve only the very best and I want you to have that no matter what."

A wistful expression appeared on Andy's face as he continued to look at her beautiful face and he continued without prompting.

"Once upon a time I thought I was what you deserved and you were what I deserved. But I couldn't have been more wrong. You deserve so much more than I have ever been able to give you. I gave up on you, on us and the perfect future we had planned and in that moment, I hurt you more than anyone. I didn't realise it until I saw you again but I also hurt myself more than anyone ever has. I thought I had been happy all these years – I partied through college, got the job I always wanted, got married and I thought I was happy. I thought that was all that I wanted. But it wasn't until my marriage fell apart that I finally faced the real truth. And that was that my life wasn't complete with you in. Even when we were apart you were always on my mind, I just refused to face my mistakes and admit that I was always missing a part of me. Prue, I know things have changed, and I know when you remember that you will come to realise that it is my fault that you have had to suffer so, so much but I just ask that you remember what I am about to say to you, and if you believe nothing else, then believe this. I love you."

As the words left Andy's mouth, his hand dropped from her face and he looked away from so he wouldn't stop what he had started – this heartfelt confession which he knew was probably unfair to her but he couldn't hold it in any more. However, in doing so he missed the change in Prue's expression as she was suddenly hit with a blur of images flying through her mind so fast she couldn't process them. At his declaration of love, something deep inside of her had unlocked and she was blown away by the emotions and memories that assaulted her senses. She held her breath as images of her childhood passed before her mind's eye followed by images of her looking at Andy as he leaned in to kiss her. She saw her mother's funeral and her sister's graduations and a myriad of events in between. She saw Andy leaving for college and then a positive pregnancy test in her hands, images rushing so fast she couldn't keep up. And then suddenly they came to a screeching halt with the image of the man from her dreams bent over her holding a knife in his hands and with it came an overwhelming fear. Roger! She thought. It was Roger. He was the reason she was here. And as that realisation began to settle into her mind she became aware of Andy continuing to talk. Her memories had resurfaced in the blink of an eye and Andy had not realised. She felt herself drawn to what he was saying when he said those three words again.

"I love you. So very very much that it physically hurts me to see you in such pain and it cuts my soul that you have had to endure such pain and heartache. I can never take that away or turn back the clock to stop it from happening, but when this is all over and you have had time to think and remember and feel, I am praying to god that you will allow me try and make it up to you. Because when I first saw you lying in this bed, I made a promise to myself and to God and that was that I would help you through all of this as much as you would let me and that I would make sure that you came out of this stronger, and healed and happy, even if that meant walking away from you at the end of all of this."

That being said, he slowly lifted his eyes back to hers and as soon as he looked into her eyes he knew something had changed. He had always been able to tell what Prue was feeling just by looking into her eyes and now as he held on tightly to her hand, he looked deeper, desperately searching for the answer to his unasked question.

As Prue's eyes resolutely held his, silently begging him to realise the truth without her having to utter a word, the realisation flashed across his mind as if an epiphany. She remembered! The confusion has dissipated somewhat from her eyes and although he could still clearly see the pain she was now undoubtedly feeling, he also saw recognition and….something else. He didn't know what it was but there was something else there that caused a shiver to run up his back and settle into his neck, causing the hairs to stand up there.

Moving his hand to grasp her other hand gently, he allowed a small smile of wonderment to cross his features as he whispered gently "You remember!".


	52. A Rush of Emotion

Chapter 52

Moments passed and neither of them dared move, look away or even blink in case they were both dreaming and by breaking the spell they were enveloped in, they would wake up and realise none of what had just passed was real. Neither wanted that to happen. For Andy he had been waiting for this moment for so long he was terrified he had willed it to happen in his mind and that none of it was real. He didn't think his heart could take the inevitable beating if that were the case. It has sprung to life when he realised her memory had returned and was currently beating so loudly and so fast within his chest that it reverberated loudly in his mind and he was sure she must be able to hear it too.

Prue was feeling overwhelmed. To have all her memories return in such a rush was so shocking but the emotions that came along with them were too much. The feelings of pain, guilt, shame, fear, love and so many others she couldn't pinpoint were crushing but she couldn't make herself look away from Andy. Hearing him say everything he had said, that he still loved her, that he was sorry, that she was a part of him – now she had her memories she had to admit to herself that a part of her had been desperate to hear those words from him. She had tried so very hard to bury that part of herself – the part that refused to forget how much she loved him and how she would forgive him everything in a heart beat if he would just come back to her. For all the memories that she was regaining, she was also desperately trying to make a new one – this moment. She wanted to remember it forever.

Still locked in a heated, loving gaze, neither heard the door open or the sounds of other people entering the room. The two doctors stopped halfway into the room, suddenly noticing what was happening between the two occupants and suddenly they felt as if they were intruding upon a very personal, private moment. They felt like voyeurs and as much as they wanted to turn away and leave them to their privacy, they also felt a compulsion to look. The two people were completely oblivious to everything around them and as Bane studied Prue's face intently, he realised she had been crying. As he looked closer he noticed she seemed to be leaning towards Andy slightly and holding herself a little less stiffly than before. The look on her face reflected her tumultuous feelings. One moment fear, the next anticipation, quickly followed by so many others he found it difficult to keep track. He wondered what could possibly cause a person to experience such a rainbow of emotions when they had lost their memory – they were usually confined to experiencing fear and trepidation mostly, but what he was witnessing went so far beyond that. And then as if a light bulb went on inside his mind, it hit him like a ton of bricks: Prue remembered!

He moved further into the room to get a better look at Andy to ascertain as to whether he was right. Just one look at the man's face was enough to convince him it was true. He had this look of pure wonderment mixed with love and admiration and concern and maybe even the slightest hint of fear. He guessed that something had been said and Andy was concerned about the response but since the moment he and Leo had walked into the room, neither had spoken a word and they had not broken eye contact for even a second. Unsure of whether to stay or go he looked to Leo to lead and found Leo completely fascinated by the scene before him. He guessed that Leo had also worked out what had happened and as subtly as possible tried to get his attention to leave. When Leo eventually pulled his gaze away from the couple in front of him, Bane nodded towards the door gently and they quickly and quietly left the couple alone.

Standing quietly outside, both men took a moment to contemplate what had happened. They both had so many questions but at that moment they were both wondering whether to ring the sisters or wait for Andy to leave the room and do it. Leo looked through the window again and noticed that neither occupant had moved so took it upon himself to make the decision. Glancing at Bane, Leo said "I'm going to ring the sisters and let them know Prue has her memory back and is at least more responsive than she has been recently. I am sure they will want to be here for this. How about I meet you back in my office in ten minutes – I'm guessing you're struggling with this a bit now she will know who you are?"

Bane just nodded gratefully, not trusting his voice right now. He turned and headed off down the corridor as Leo made his way over to the nurses station and grabbed Prue's chart and file. Quickly locating the number for the sisters he dialled and waited patiently. After a minute there was still no answer so he tried the mobile number that had been left with the staff. On the second ring Piper answered. "Miss Halliwell, this is Dr Wyatt at the hospital. I am ringing to tell you there has been a change with your sister and it would appear she has her memory back" Leo said, hoping to give Prue's sisters some good news for a change.

"Really? All of them? She remembers everything? Oh my god. She must be a wreck right now if she has remembered everything that has happened."

"Actually right now she's fairly calm. I am not 100% positive all of her memories have returned but I can tell you that a lot have judging what we saw between your sister and Detective Trudeau. We didn't have a chance to speak to your sister to ascertain the extent of her recollection as they were somewhat caught up with each other at the time. But myself and Dr Jessup both observed your sister and I am confident that she has experienced quite the break through today."

"Wow. That is amazing. I have to say, if she and Andy are already off in their own little world then yeah, I would have thought she HAS remembered a lot. They were always like that when they were together. This is the best news ever. I'll grab my sister and we'll head straight down."

"I know you're pleased, and your right this is good news. I just need you to remember, having dug into your sisters past a little; you know some of what she has experienced. From what we witnessed, I don't think the full extent of her reaction to her memories has hit yet, and when it does, it could be devastating. Having all or a lot of those memories return at the same time would be insanely difficult for even the strongest person to deal with, and taking into account your sister's mental state since she remembered some of her attacks, I must warn that she may not be able to process everything right now. Although it is certainly good that the amnesia appears to have resolved itself, this is the beginning of the even harder recovery ok?" Leo said, kicking himself for getting Piper's hopes up so quickly without thinking things through fully.

On the other end of the phone Piper had stopped in her tracks. She had let her excitement run away with her without fully considering what this meant for Prue. Piper wondered to herself whether Prue would withdraw even further from them now she remembered all she had suffered through. Now that she remembered all that she had sacrificed. That thought terrified Piper as all she wanted was her sister back in her life again, the way she used to be. She wanted to look after Prue and help her recover from everything that had happened the way Prue had always looked after her two sisters. The question was, would Prue let her?

Hearing Dr Wyatt saying her name down the phone line, she shook herself from her reverie and quickly composed herself. "Sorry Dr Wyatt, my mind drifted for a moment there. Of course, this is just the beginning of her recovery and whilst we can't really know, I think we all realise this is going to very hard for my sister. But there is one thing you should know about us Halliwells – we are tough as nails and stubborn to boot. We'll get Prue through this if it's the last thing we do."

Leo had to silently chuckle to himself. These women were nothing if not determined and he had to admire there staunch support of their sister and the devotion they displayed towards each other. "I can certainly believe that Miss Halliwell. I shall be at my office when you and your sister arrive if you would like to come see me before you go into see Prue."

"Thanks Dr Wyatt. I'll see you in a little while." Piper said, before disconnecting the call, grabbing her coat and bag and leaving to find her youngest sister to tell her the news. Piper felt a sense of relief that Prue's memories had returned but also a sense of foreboding as to what lay ahead of them all.

* * *

Prue's gaze began to waver as the images swirled around her mind, too fast for her to fully process but slow enough for her to understand what the images represented. Again and again she saw Roger looming over her beating her, cutting her, raping her. And then it would switch to images of her sisters looking happy, talking, dancing, and laughing. Then things would shift and she would be see hundreds of images of Andy – many of him looking at her with pure love in his eyes but also a few where he had such sadness in his eyes. That thought triggered the memories of their break up and how utterly devastated she had been, followed by a wave of emotion when she remembered the termination and hot utterly alone she felt. That feeling echoed how she felt when her mother died, and her mind was automatically taken back to the day her mother died. Her mind continued to jump from one experience to another taking direction from her emotional reactions to what she was remembering.

Andy felt helpless. He could feel Prue withdraw into herself and her eyes widen at each new remembrance. And he was helpless to stop her or even help her. He had known this was going to happen and that is HAD to happen for Prue to ever have a chance of moving on but now that is was he found himself struggling with it all. He had revelled in their connection when her memories first returned and had delighted in the intense looks that passed between them for what seemed like a lifetime but in reality couldn't of been more than 4 or 5 minutes. He had felt for that time that his Prue was back. The girl he had fallen in love with and spent his school years thinking about and dreaming about and courting. The same girl he had always believed he would eventually marry and have a family with. They had achieved that same shared connection they used to enjoy as teenagers and it felt, however briefly, as if he had been taken back in time before things began to go so badly wrong. And he so desperately wanted to stay in that moment where everything felt right and nobody could touch them or their love. But with Prue's recollection of their shared past came the rest of her memories following swiftly and it was if she had swept away on a tide of memories and feelings and he could no longer maintain his grasp on their connection.

He was desperate to stop her from drifting further away so he reaffirmed his grasp on her hands and pleadingly spoke to her. "Prue. Sweetheart. Stay with me. Look at me and concentrate on my voice Prue and I will help you through this. I can't even begin to imagine what memories you are seeing or what feelings they are invoking inside of you but please, do not pull away from me. I can help you if you just talk to me. Tell me what you are remembering and will make sense of it all together. Just please, don't let them swallow you whole. You are strong enough to confront this Prue. You are strong enough to deal with your past and to move on if only you will allow me to help. And your sisters. Don't push them away again Prue. They understand more than you think and they will do anything they can to get you through this. Just please. Say something. I'm begging you Prue, I don't think I could handle losing you again. Please sweetheart just talk to me, let me in."

Tears streamed down Andy's face as he begged the love of his life to let him help her with the demons of her past and make amends for the pain he had caused her. He desperately needed this and as he looked into Prue eyes and searched for any indication of what her response would be, Prue gently moved one of her hands from his grasp and his heart sank.


	53. It's Gonna Take Some Convincing

Wow - first off, it's been a while. I kinda hit a big stumbling block but am pleased to say that my creative juice shave been revived and more will follow in a few days. I would also like to thank everyone who has continued to add my story to their alerts - that's almost as great as getting a review!

Chapter 53

With that one movement, Andy felt the despair wash over him. Before his eyes the woman he loved was being engulfed in painful memories and feelings and he couldn't reach her. He couldn't command her attention or get her to believe or accept that he would and could help her. For a split second he felt his resolve crumbling and in a flash he remembered his promise to never let her go again – to fight for her like he had never fought before. And he felt his resolve return in full force.

Reaching for her hand again, Andy grasped her fingers between his and moved slightly so he was sat in front Prue. He knew he had to get her attention and get her to listen before it was too late. The research he had done indicated that if Prue became too overwhelmed with the memories and the pain then she could withdraw completely inside of her self due to the trauma and he could not risk that happening.

"Prue look at me. You have to look at me sweetheart." At that final word she visibly flinched and shrank back a little more.

"Prue's it's me, Andy. I can't begin to imagine how utterly terrifying and heartbreaking this must be for you right now but you have to listen to me, please." Tears began to course down his cheeks as he let go of all his emotions, hoping the force of them would make her listen.

"I need you to know that no matter what you are remembering right now, no matter what horrible things, it doesn't change how I feel about you. I need you to understand that I know some of the memories you are reliving because…."

Andy suddenly stopped. He knew what she was remembering because he had read her diaries along with her sisters and he knew that in any other situation, she would upset and angry about that. But he knew he had to be honest. Nothing short of complete honesty was going to wash it and he knew that that involved serious risks. But, he told himself, even if she ends up hating him for it, it will be worth it if she doesn't withdraw into himself.

"You're not going to like this but I know what you are remembering because I read your diaries. With the accident, and your condition we needed to know what had happened and what had been going on so in the course of the police investigation we obtained and read your diaries. I'm sorry that I invaded your privacy but I'm not sorry I read them."

With those words, Prue's eyes suddenly focused on Andy's face and he realised they were filled with anger. Pure unadulterated rage rumbled across her face and he braced himself for the onslaught of her anger.

"How dare you? How dare you read something that was none of your business and had nothing to do with you? There was nothing in there that could have helped you out – you were just being nosey and snooping weren't you? What? Were you looking to see how long I cried when you left? Trying to make yourself feel like the big man for breaking my heart and abandoning me? Are you happy now that you know? I bet you're glad you got out when you did now you know what an ugly, useless, pathetic whore I turned out to be right? I bet you even think I got exactly what I deserved – well you'd be right, I did. It took someone like HIM to prove to me just how worthless I was and reaffirm everything my grandmother said. She was right all along, but then you knew that didn't you? You just strung me along in high school for the fun of it. You never really loved me – you knew what she knew that I wasn't worthy of anyone's love and attention. After all that's why my mother died isn't it? Because of me. Because I wasn't worthy of being her daughter or Piper and Phoebe's sister or Grams first granddaughter because I was useless and pathetic and irresponsible. Why couldn't you all just let me go, let me die? Do you really hate me that much that you want to make me suffer? Make me relive all the pain, torment, humiliation and degradation."

Prue finally ran out of breath and anger and words all at once. A she had been talking she had ripping at the medical equipment she was hooked up and pulling at the needle she still had in the back of her hand. She had been like a wild woman ranting and Andy had struggled to keep up with all she had to say. But he did manage to keep up and every word from his mouth broke his heart. He could hear the pure anguish and despair in her voice and it killed him that it was partly due to him that she felt that way. But just as quickly as the hurt was the anger to bubble up into his throat. As her words came to end and she began to visibly sag in the bed, all the fight leaving her Andy knew that this was his chance. She had finally revealed the depth of her self loathing and as much as it killed him to hear that she wished they had let her die, he knew she needed to say it, to get it out in the open before he could attempt to heal her with his words and his actions.

Taking his chance, Andy moved even closer and pulled her as roughly as he dared into his arms, careful not to catch any of the neglected equipment around them. He pulled her head against his chest and tightened his arms around her protectively, even when he felt her try to pull away. He held her against his chest and moved his head down so his mouth was level with her ear. His mind briefly flashed back to a time where this would have been the beginning of their foreplay when he would tease her by gently blowing against her ear and then whispering to her exactly what she did to his body, before telling her exactly what he was going to do to her body given half the chance.

But he cast aside those thoughts as completely inappropriate and focused his thoughts on the task at hand. "Don't you ever say those things in my presence again. You are not worthless or ugly or any of those other horrible things you said. You are and always have been incredibly strong and beautiful and you mean so much to so many people. I don't care who told you otherwise, you have to believe me. Because I know you better than anyone else ever has or ever will. Even now, after so many years apart, so many things have change but so many haven't. I know that deep down inside of you is the girl I fell in love with all those years ago and who has never left my heart. She may have suffered through the worse one human being can do to another but I knew she is still there. I truly believe that because you are strong and no matter, your spirit is unbreakable. Your grandmother could not have been more wrong about you – your mother was so proud of you and she loved you so much, just like your sisters. Just like I do. None of the terrible things that have happened to you have been your fault. Your mothers' death, our break up, the torture of the last few years – none of it is because of you. Your mother's death was a terrible accident. I know that deep down inside you know that. I need you to find that part of you that has never given up and remember that. Our break up – that was my fault. I was an idiot and I need you to know that I have regretted what happened ever since. I wish I could take it back. I wish I could go back and change what I did and what I said, that way you never would have ended up in the hell you have been in for the past few years. I could have saved you from that and you don't know how sorry I am. But I am here now. And I need you to listen to me, to believe me, to believe in yourself and to believe in me. Because now that I am here I am not going anywhere ever again. It doesn't matter what you say or what you do because nothing could make me leave you ever again. I am going to spend my life helping you recover from everything and it doesn't matter how hard it is, or how much you push me away."

Andy gently pulled away from Prue so that he could see her face. He had felt the shaking as she began to sob during his speech and his heart shattered just a little bit more if that was possible at the look on her face and in her eyes. He could tell that she had listened because she was torn. She looked like she was having an internal battle and it scared the hell out of him. Removing his arms from around her, he gently caressed her face, raising her chin so that she was looking into his eyes.

Taking a deep breath he ploughed on, hoping that this would work or help in some way. "Prue, baby, I know you hurting so badly right now, and I know that your conditioning is telling you not to believe me but I need you to. I want you to look into my eyes as I tell you this because you remember as well as I do that you could always tell if I was telling the truth by looking into my eyes. So look at me baby, look deep into my eyes. I love you. I have never stopped loving you. Your sisters love you so much and all we want in this world is for you to be ok. For you to get better and for you to be happy. Because we love you. And we will do whatever it takes. Because for once, it is our turn to look after you. To protect you. It doesn't matter what has happened in the past or what we have found out. What matters now is you. You are all that matters to me, to us. I am sitting here in front of you, telling you I know everything and telling you it doesn't change the way I feel about you and I know that goes double for your sisters. Please, don't ever doubt again how much you mean to us, because you mean the world to us. I love you."

Andy continued to stare into her beautiful eyes and he willed her to feel the love he felt and believe the words he said. Despite the tears in both their eyes he could still see the myriad of emotions as they flitted across her face. And then she slowly opened her mouth, took a deep breath and went to speak….until her attention was suddenly diverted to the doorway and her 2 sisters who had obviously been standing there for a while judging by the looks on their faces and the tears glistening on their cheeks. Suddenly, Prue didn't know what to say and she simply looked between Andy and her sisters waiting to see whether they would confirm or deny all that he had just said. She even began to hold her breath as the seconds ticked by…..


	54. In All Honesty Part 1

Hey guys,

So I promised another chapter soon and here it is. It's a lot shorter than usual but if I had continued it would have been well over 5000 words by the time I was done so I figured I would cut this one a little short and then hit you with the rest later in the week. The good news is that the next chpater is already half written so it won't be long I promise.

Thanks

Chapter 54

Piper and Phoebe had walked in just as Andy was telling Prue about reading her diaries. They were about to announce themselves when Prue rounded on Andy and launched into a long diatribe about how useless she was and the words they heard struck them hard in their hearts.

Realistically they had known that Prue felt that way because they too had been privy to the information in the diaries but to hear the anguish with which Prue spoke was what truly hurt. That was the final confirmation of all that had happened and all either sister wished for was a way to turn back time so that they could realise what their grandmother was doing to their sister and put a stop to it. And that was at the root of much of the guilt they were feeling. The fact that they had not seen what was going on because they both felt that if they had, they could have done something to stop it from getting this far.

They listened as Andy spoke sweet words to their sister and watched carefully as he made her look at him, made her listen to his words. They could see how hard he was trying and how desperately he wanted her to believe what he was saying. The depth of emotion in his voice brought a fresh wave of tears as they truly saw how much he clearly loved their sister. And even with everything else going on, that knowledge allowed both to feel a glimmer of hope for the future because they truly believed Andy's promise that he would be there for Prue every step of the way and beyond.

When both Prue and Andy turned to look at them stood stock still in the doorway they froze for a moment, feeling slightly guilty for having listened in to their conversation. Piper looked at Andy and could see he was trying to tell her something. She looked back at Prue and suddenly realised that she had tensed up again and Andy's silent communication became clear. Prue was waiting for them to agree with Andy's words or tell her what she had always heard from other people.

Not hesitating Piper looked quickly at Phoebe and then moved to Prue's side in an instant putting her arms around her sister and leaning forward to press a kiss to her forehead. "Prue, you need to listen to what Andy is telling you because he's telling the truth. We both, all, love you so very much we can never express just how much. And we are so sorry that this has happened to you. You have always been the most amazing, supportive, caring mother, sister and friend to us and we have let you down by not seeing the pain you were in. But this is where it ends. We know everything and it only makes us love you more. You're our sister and you are the most precious thing in the world to us and we are going to make sure to remind you of that everyday. We love you sweetie."

That was all it took for the flood gates to open and within seconds all three sisters were in tears. Phoebe joined in with the sister hug and both pressed kisses to their elder sisters face while repeating 'I love you' like their lives depended on it. Andy was trying to extricate himself from the moment, content to let her sisters comfort Prue and offer words of reassurance and love. But before he could fully remove himself from the bed he felt Prue's hand latch on to his and pull him back to where he had been. He looked up and locked eyes with Prue over her sister's heads and was overjoyed to find a slight smile tugging at her lips. It was only slight, but it was progress and Andy was content with that for the moment.

Two hours later and emotions were still running high in the small hospital room but the tears has ceased for the time being. In the time that had passed Andy, Piper and Phoebe had gently filled Prue in all that they had discovered and why they had felt the need to read something as personal as the diaries and Prue had finally accepted that it had been necessary under the circumstances. Prue had also apologised to her sisters for keeping them in the dark about all that had happened but they both explained that they now fully understood. They explained that so many things now made much more sense since the discovery of their grandmothers treatment of their older sister and whilst they didn't like the fact that Prue had chosen to endure all that she had by herself, they at least understood why.

As they talked about the contents of the books, they were all acutely aware of the rather large elephant in the room – the baby. The topic had so far been avoided by all parties but Prue and Andy especially realised that they would need to have a conversation on that topic very soon. However, Prue knew it was going to be a heart breaking, gut wrenching conversation so she wanted to delay it for as long as possible. There was another topic which needed to be addressed too and although it was incredibly painful, Prue felt she needed to ask the questions sooner rather than later.

When there was a small lull in the otherwise flowing conversation, Prue summoned her strength and asked the all important question: "What has happened to Roger?"


	55. Time to Heal

Hi Everyone,

A little later than promised but what can I say, my job sucks sometimes. Anyway, I'm not 100% happy with this chapter but I cannot procrastinate any further. I hope you like. Feedback would be appreciated just so that I know people are still interested in this story. Thanks

Chapter 54

The other occupants were surprised that Prue had asked but also relieved that they did not need to broach the topic. They all felt it was a good sign that she been able speak his name this time and Andy especially recognised this as significant. Feeling Piper and Phoebe defer the question to him simply by looking to him for an explanation, Andy decided to be completely honest with Prue. If any of this was going to work then honesty was going to be key.

"Well, right now he's in jail. After we read the diaries we managed to secure a search warrant and we searched your home where we found Roger's secret room. Before you start to worry, none of us have seen the content of what was found and my partner made sure that as few people as possible saw it and only when absolutely necessary to build the case." Prue relaxed a little upon hearing that. It was one thing in her mind for Andy to have read what she had written about the abuse but she was unsure whether she would have been able to stand him having seen her in such a degrading and vulnerable position.

"Once we found that evidence things moved pretty quickly and we caught Roger about to hop on a plane out of the country. Thankfully my partner had thought to alert all airports etc and we had a tip that he had purchased a one way ticket to London. The way I understand it he didn't know about your amnesia at the time and with me sniffing around he figured it would be safer to just cut his losses and run."

Silence settled once again as Prue let the information sink in. Forcing her mind to think logically she knew that for him to already be in jail meant that they had charged him based on the evidence they had found as she had amnesia at the time and would not have been able to testify. She really hoped that meant that her testimony wouldn't be required but the sensible voice in her mind told her that wasn't going to happen. That small part of her knew that if she really wanted this to be over with for good, then her testimony was going to be the nail in Roger's coffin and she needed to find a way to accept that.

Back at the station, Morris was pouring through everything they had retrieved from the house as well as phone and financial records which they had also obtained following the charges being brought against Roger.

It became very clear that Roger kept Prue on a very tight leash. He controlled all the money, all her accounts such as her cell phone, bank and credit card and Morris could only hazard a guess at how far that control extended. Closer inspection of Prue's cell phone account showed a block in place on all calls except those to a pre-agreed list. Cross referencing showed she had only been allowed to place calls to her sisters, Roger, their house and the museum. Further records showed that Roger himself had two cell phones and one of those phones had a high number of calls to some recurring numbers. Getting onto the phone company to retrieve the particulars, Morris soon found that a high number of calls were to a private investigator and after running the details of the other names he had obtained found the other names to be prostitutes. Morris was hopeful he would be able to get plenty of good information from this lead and that it would only strengthen their case further.

Following the discussion about Roger, Andy had made his excuses to get some fresh air and allow the sisters to talk. Prue had been reluctant at first to let go of his hand but after much reassurance that he would indeed be back she had let go. Before walking out of the room he leant down and placed a gentle kiss on Prue's forehead, pleased when she didn't pull away but lean slightly into it. Andy took that as a good sign as he stepped out into the corridor making his way towards the vending machines and then the main doors. He wanted the chance to eat and drink something and get a little fresh air after the enormity of what had just happened and he also wanted to be able to check in with his partner.

In the room, Piper and Phoebe had taken up space on either side of Prue and were holding a hand each. Although they didn't want to push things they wanted to help their sister as much as possible so they decided it might be a good idea to talk about some of the issues that had come to their attention now. They already knew they would not broach the subject of the baby because that was strictly between Andy and their sister and they knew that that conversation would be hard enough without adding their own thoughts and feelings to the equation. So they stuck to a topic that was their business- their grams and their mother.

With some cajoling, Prue had finally opened up to her sisters and told them all she had endured during her childhood. Every time she struggled with her words, her sisters would give her gentle encouragement and squeeze her hands until she could compose herself and carry on. She told them about their mother's death and how their grandmother had been so devastated she had blame Prue. Prue tried to explain to her sisters how upset Grams had been and how she could understand needing someone to blame but Piper and Phoebe made it abundantly clear that that may be the case but that she had no right to place the blame on Prue in any way, shape or form. For hours upon hours they sat talking about everything they could think of from their childhood and slowly, Prue began to believe her sisters when they told her how special she was to them, how grateful they were to her for sacrificing the way she did to raise them and most of all how much they really, truly loved her.

It had been a long time since Prue had felt truly loved. Of course she always knew that her sisters loved her but really feeling it was different. She tried to cast her mind back to the last time she had felt that way and the answer became obvious. Andy. Every good thing in her life seemed to come back to either him or her sisters and at that moment she deeply regretted many things. She regretted never standing up to her grandmother, she regretted breaking up with Andy, she regretted having the termination, she regretted not asking for help sooner and she regretted ever getting involved with Roger. Something about him had never seemed right from the beginning and she knew that if it weren't for her feelings of worthlessness, she would have figured out what sooner rather than later. She also knew that those feelings of worthlessness were not gone for good. She knew deep down that they could come back at any time, without any warning and she knew then and there that was going to need help. From her family and from a professional because listening to her sisters, and having listened to Andy earlier, she now knew she had people to live for. But she wouldn't allow her mind to ting about Andy just yet. She knew that no matter what he had said before, things were going to be anything but simple or easy between them. So much had happened and so much hurt had been caused that it wouldn't be as simple as talking about things and moving on. They both needed to understand what the other had been thinking, why they had said the things they had and why they had done the things they had done. Because now, here at this moment, Prue knew that honesty was going to be the only way forward for her and she also knew it was going to hurt like hell.

Prue, Piper and Phoebe continued talking well into the night – a conversation punctuated by words of comfort, words of reassurance and words of love from all concerned. Together, the three of them had begun to heal the wounds that had been opened without them realizing and they all had to admit it felt good.

Eventually, around midnight, Prue was beginning to fade fast and they knew that was their cue to leave for the night. With promises of picking up where they left off at a date very soon, Piper and Phoebe kissed and hugged their sister goodbye and for the first time, smiled a real, genuine smile as they waved goodbye and left the hospital.

Prue was exhausted but her mind was going a mile a minute and she was struggling to keep up. Her thoughts were flitting between her sisters, her grandmother, Andy and then Roger and occasionally her mother popped up amongst everything else. It felt as if her mind was full up and everything was jostling for control. She lay in the bed with her eyes closed tightly willing her mind to settle down. Even if just picked one thing to obsess over that would be better than this cacophony of sounds and images and words running on a loop. Realizing that no matter how tired she was, she wasn't going to get any sleep with her mind in overtime, Prue managed to sit up against her pillows. Practicing some breathing techniques she had learnt a long time ago she tried to force her mind to calm. It took several attempts as she was quite rusty but she eventually began to tune out many of the thoughts in her mind. Deciding she had spent some significant time this evening going through things with her sisters and talking about her mother and grandmother Prue carefully removed those thoughts from her mind. She felt a lot calmer immediately but she still felt tense with the two remaining issues in her mind. Andy and Roger. She knew that dwelling on either would cause her emotional pain but her talk with her sisters had left her feeling a little stronger so she turned her mind to her fiancé.

'_Well ex-fiancé'_, she thought to herself. _'I suppose since he tried to kill me that the engagement is broken. It's strange but the events are still a little fuzzy. I remember going to dinner. I remember being surprised when Roger ordered drinks for me since that never happens. But I guess that was all part of his plan – to make it look like I was driving drunk and caused the accident. Hmm I wonder how he planned to explain why he let me drive after so much to drink. I suppose I should have seen the warning signs earlier. I knew he was pissed about Andy but it didn't really occur to me that he would be this bothered by it. After everything he had said and done to me he must have known I wouldn't have said a word to anyone. But on the other hand Andy has always been like a dog with a bone, maybe Roger realized that Andy wasn't going to let things go. Maybe he realized that Andy would keep investigating and putting pressure on me to be honest until I cracked. He had to known how I felt about Andy because God knows I was useless at hiding it. And the truth of the matter is I do love him. I tried to deny it for so long, to bury it deep down with everything else that was painful to me but I guess everything does always come to light eventually. After all, I never imagined in a million years that I would escape from Roger. I mean, I planned for it but I didn't think it would ever actually work. I thought I was destined to die at his hands, with my sisters and Andy never knowing how much I loved them and how much I sacrificed for them. Because they are right. I did sacrifice many things for them – my childhood, my college dreams, my one true love, even my baby so that they wouldn't have to give up the things they dreamed of – for Andy that was college and a life in the police force. I know deep down that if he had known I was pregnant he would have dropped out of college, gotten a job and taken me away from my Grams so she couldn't force me to have a termination. But that in turn would have meant leaving Piper and Phoebe and I couldn't ever have done that. They needed me so badly to help them in every way possible – to help them find their way in the world and to work out what their own dreams were. None of them would have been the people they are today if I had done things differently so for that reason alone, I cannot truly regret all my decisions. But I do regret the ones that have hurt them the most. I regret them all finding out everything that has happened the way that they did. I wish I had had the opportunity to come clean with them myself so they didn't have to read about it in a book. But I know that regrets are not going to do me any good now. I need to concentrate on making them understand and then making it up to them if they'll let me. I know I made good progress with my sisters tonight so tomorrow, if he will let me, I need to speak to Andy. I need to say so much and I need him to listen. I know that he truly meant what he said, but a small part of me can't help but worry that once we have everything out in the open, the wounds will be too big to heal, the gap too wide between us.'_

Calming her mind further, Prue allowed herself to be pulled into sleep by an image of Andy beckoning to her from their swing. As she drifted off, a slight smile played across her lips.


	56. New Beginnings?

A/N I know I'm really bad at updating and I wish I could promise a quick follow up but no guarantees! However, i can promise faithfully that this story will be finished - I hate to leave things incomplete. I don't know how many chapters are left as I am crap at planning but I don't think we will make it to 70! Perhaps lol

Thanks for continuing to read and all you wonderful people who review and alert my story. I truly appreciate it.

Lady Piwah

Chapter 56

Andy spent the evening and a large portion of the night helping Morris in tracking down the relevant people that had been identified from the phone records. He had never been more grateful for the partner that he had been assigned when he returned than he was right now. Morris was always diligent in his work but his commitment to this case and helping Prue was a step above anything else and Andy would never be able to express how grateful he was to his friend. So he sat at his desk opposite and started the tedious job of trying to track these people down. When it got too late to call anyone, they took their papers into an interview room and spread everything out between them to try and piece some more pieces together.

They were both aware that with Prue's help this process might go an awful lot quicker but they also knew that Prue was still in the very early stages of processing everything and anything they could do to not add pressure or stress was the best course of action right now.

By the time they were done, the picture became a lot clearer and they knew many gaps would be filled in with the interviews they had scheduled for the next day. Morris was going to interview the PI and a couple of the prostitutes that they had contacted and as much as Andy wanted to be there he knew it would be a bad idea. He didn't want to jeopardise the case in any way and if that meant stepping back in some areas he was ok with that.

Being ok didn't mean being fine with it though. Interrogation had always been a good way to blow off some steam verbally and he needed that kind of release right now but he was going to have to find an alternative. He needed to find a way to release his emotions in a way that wouldn't hurt Prue or the case. He had no doubt they were heading towards a pretty significant conversation in the very near future and he wanted to be calm when that happened.

As he and his partner separated in the parking lot and said goodnight, Andy cast his mind back to the things that made him calm. The things that brought peace to him. The list wasn't too extensive he had to be honest. He sat silently in his car waiting for his inspiration – at least that's what he told himself. He already knew deep down that the only thing that was going to calm him and clear his mind was to see Prue.

The need had been creeping up on him all evening but he had shoved it aside determined to allow Prue and her sisters to truly reconnect. They were the most important relationships she had and right now they needed each other.

_She needs you too_ his subconscious was saying. He knew that that voice was the truth but it still scared him. Even after everything he had said to Prue, he still couldn't help but worry that he wouldn't be enough for her or that he had done too much damage in the past. He briefly wondered if Prue was thinking about him and the things she needed to say as he had no doubt that there were things she needed to say – especially since she now knew they had read her diaries.

Before his mind could travel further down the path of the revelations the diaries had revealed he forced himself to stop thinking and allow instinct to take over. Before he knew it he was pulling into a parking space outside the hospital and trying to figure out how to get into Prue's room as visiting time was most definitely over. Glancing at the clock on the dash he realised it was nearly 2am. He knew that Prue would almost definitely be asleep as the previous day had to of been draining but he just wanted to sit and watch her for a while. He knew her presence would calm him like nothing else ever had and with that in mind he made his way into the hospital.

After stopping to charm a nurse into allowing him access, Andy quietly crept into Prue's room being careful not to make any noise. Gently lowering himself into the chair at the side of the bed, Andy allowed himself the luxury of simply looking at a sleeping Prue.

'_Even after everything she's been through, she still looks beautiful and peaceful and innocent lying there in that bed. I wish to God she were innocent still. __Of all the scenarios I envisaged in my head about meeting Prue again, this never even entered my mind as the smallest of possibilities. It hurts so much to know how she was suffering while I was away from her. I may not have been happy in my marriage but that pain is nothing in comparison to what she endured._

_I need her to know I don't blame her for anything. I need her to know that I absolutely understand why she made the decisions that she made and I also need her to know how sorry I am. From the moment I walked away from her all those years ago I have wanted to go back. As soon as I was at the end of the street that day I wanted to turn around and run back, crushing her to me and begging for forgiveness but I was too much of a coward. Or maybe I was too proud I'm not sure. But I need her to know that she has been front and centre in my mind and my heart for all these years, no matter where I was, what I was doing or who I was with. I know that I can be the man she needs if she will only give me a chance. There is so much for us to talk about and so much to be forgiven but I would give everything I own to be able to get to that point. I will give it my all. I have to. For her and for me. As long as I am around Prue, I promise no-one will ever hurt you again'._

As his thoughts drifted off into daydreams of a life with Prue, Andy slowly reached out, gently took her hand in his and the rested his head gently next to their clasped hands. He smiled slightly to himself as he felt Prue's fingers instinctively move to mould around his own in her sleep and he gently closed his eyes finally succumbing to the exhaustion.

Noises and light began to intrude upon Prue's sleep and she slowly found herself leaving her dreams behind. As she slowly became aware of her surroundings she felt something unexpected. Prue became acutely aware of a weight on her arm and another person in the room. The instinctive panic kicked in and she began to shake even before she had opened her eyes. Prue didn't want to open her eyes because she didn't want to see Roger's face staring at her in hatred and contempt. Through the panic flooding her mind Prue held tight to a voice repeating over and over _'please let this be a nightmare' _and refusing to acknowledge the other voice telling her that she knew that was not the case. Prue quickly realised she was losing control as she was bombarded with memories of the torments Roger had put her through and tears began to creep out from behind her tightly closed eye lids, her whole body began to shake harder and her breathing became shallow and laboured and she tried desperately to prepare herself for the inevitable onslaught.

Andy became aware of a noise out of place in the room and remembering where he was, shook himself out of sleep in a flash, quickly trying to locate the anomaly that had woken him. His gaze landed on Prue and his heart immediately plummeted. At first glance it would look as if she were having a nightmare but he could tell from the movement behind her eyelids that she was awake but trying to keep her eyes closed.

He immediately realised why. She must have woken to feel him next to her and feared the worst. He felt like such an idiot for making her feel this way. Shifting his weight in the chair he moved a hand up to Prue's face gently and tenderly stroked her cheek as he began murmuring words to her. "It's ok sweetheart, it's only me, it's Andy. Open your eyes and look at me beautiful, I promise you I am right here, no-one else. I'm sorry I scared you but I promise you it's me and I'm not going to hurt you. Open your eyes Prue, let me look into your beautiful eyes. Please sweetheart, please."

Prue felt the words wash over her and felt the tenderness with which he stroked her cheek and held her other hand and her eyes began to open automatically without a conscious decision being made.

The sight that greeted her caused her to release all the tension she was holding as the damn broke and tears crawled down her cheeks, covering Andy's hand that was still gently resting there. He gently reached down to kiss their joined hands and her eyes followed his every move, feeling a flutter in her stomach as his lips grazed her hand ever so gently. She couldn't help but be affected by the way he took such gentle care of her. Despite everything that had happened in the past she could never be afraid of the man in front of her. He was her saviour and she needed him to know that. She needed him to know that she trusted him implicitly and that she felt safe with him. There was so much else she wanted to say but she needed to take her time. She needed to process and she knew he would need to process but she had come to a conclusion when talking to her sisters the night before – she had spent so much time upset and angry and scared and if she was truly going to put the past behind her, then she needed to be honest with herself and with the people in her life. And that most definitely included Andy.

"Thanks Andy. I'm sorry I woke you up by reacting that way. It's silly really. If I had simply opened my eyes I wouldn't have panicked in that way. I'm sorry." Prue said, grasping the bull by the horns and saying how she really felt for once. As she did, she could feel a spark of the old Prue coming back. The one before Roger and before her grandmother and before the baby.

"You don't ever have to apologise sweetheart. I should have thought. In truth, I only meant to stop by for a few minutes to make sure you were ok. For some reason being near you calms me down and washes away the days stress. I guess I must have fallen asleep. I'm sorry for scaring you." Andy said, stroking her cheek and hand as he looked deeply into her eyes.

A part of him felt hope blossom at her words and actions. He, too noticed the glimpse of the girl he fell in love with so many years ago and he hoped it was the first glimpse of many to come.

"I'm glad after everything that I make you feel that way Andy. I know that we have a lot to talk about and I don't want to put it off more than necessary. But if its ok, I just need a day or 2 to think and process everything. Talking to my sisters has really helped me put a lot of things into perspective and deal with some of what has happened. I _want_ to talk to you about everything. About all of this and what happened before and us. But I just need a little more time. Can you give me that Andy? I know I am asking for a lot given what I have put you through but please, just give me that time and I promise we will talk about absolutely everything for as long as you want." Prue said, gaining confidence as she spoke, determined to make him understand.

"Of course I can give you that Prue. I'll give you whatever you need to be able to move on from all of this. You just the say the word and I'll be here I promise." With that said, Andy leant down slowly, giving Prue plenty of time to protest or move, and when she didn't he gently brushed his lips against hers for a few seconds before squeezing her hand and quietly saying good bye and he got up and left the room.

Walking down the corridor, Andy couldn't contain the happiness inside of him. He just knew that the Prue he fell in love with was making a come back and the feel of her lips on his after so long was the best feeling in the world.

Meanwhile, inside the small hospital room, Prue sat dazed starting at the door with her hands gently touching her lips. As what happened sunk in, Prue couldn't help the huge smile that spread across her face as she remembered the feel of his lips on hers.


End file.
